The parents of a premature baby hospitalised are frustrated over the lack of communication over repair works which saw them need to leave their home the week before Christmas.
Martin Mott, 29, and Nicole Lake's son Kylo-Gray arrived five weeks early on November 24. He was transferred to Addenbrooke's when he was three weeks old after a viral infection left him fighting to draw breathe.
Ipswich Borough Council was due to work on the couple's kitchen in Kerry Avenue on December 20 and said there had been challenges in gaining access which had delayed the works.
While Miss Lake stayed in hospital by Kylo’s side.
However, when Ipswich Borough Council workers arrived at their property, they told him that he and his two children would need to find alternative accommodation since the water would have to be turned off for four days.
An Ipswich Borough Council spokesman said: “On starting work, it quickly became apparent that more extensive works were required. These included removing the kitchen and floor and turning off services.”
Mr Mott took children Lacey-May, six, and Martin junior, four, to his partner's auntie.
He said: “When we were there, I got a call saying we couldn’t come back because they’d shut the water off.
“I kept asking how long it was going to be, and first they said three days, then four. I said, what am I going to do? It’s nearly Christmas, who’s going to take us?
“I was on the phone to the department for emergency accommodation for about half an hour. Nicole’s auntie was fine with us staying for the first night, so I told them we just need somewhere to stay for the rest of the time.”
The borough council then asked to speak with Miss Lake's auntie and Mr Mott says asked to house the family.
The council spokesman said: "Fortunately, our customer and their children were able to stay with family whilst work started but due to the Christmas period it was not possible to complete.
"We therefore agreed with them to make the kitchen ‘functional’, e.g. base units and work tops, running water and a working oven for the Christmas period so that they could return home and which they did on the 24 December.”
Kylo-Gray and Nicole also arrived home on December 30 but the experience has left the family frustrated as work continues to finish works.
“That week was just a nightmare,” said Mr Mott. “My head was all over the place. My son was in Addenbrookes, I had to call work and tell them I couldn’t come in because I had to care for my two other children, and then all of this as well.
“If they’d have told me, say, a week in advance, I would have been fine about it, but they literally did it the day they turned up.”
Miss Lake added: “There I was in Addenbrooke's with Kylo, completely stressed out that Martin and my children had nowhere to go.”
The council spokesman said an agreement was made that works would be completed in early January, adding: “We continue to be in communication with the customers in respect of completion of the kitchen works, along with some other issues which also first became apparent when we went on site in December.”
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