Martlesham residents are going through an "unsettling" period of the unknown, as they face a potential five-week wait for work on a large sinkhole in their street to be completed.
Following a sinkhole's appearance in the Panshanger road on May 2, residents were evacuated into temporary accommodation and claimed that the communication with property manager, Akelius Residential, had been lacking.
On Friday, June 9, residents and Akelius met to discuss what will happen in the area going forward.
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According to some of the Welwyn tenants, the source of the sinkhole is unknown, and a leak running underneath has been inspected.
One tenant said: "I am happy with the way the meeting went. They spent £10,000 on the issue and it might take another five weeks to be done.
"There is a leak of some sort running underneath and they are going to dig a hole that is over five metres deep. It is as big as my house. The hole is bigger than expected and starts further away.
"They said they might have to seal the whole area, so some of us might have to leave our houses as all the works could affect our health."
Many of the tenants are also upset after having to cover costs of temporary accommodation until they have been reimbursed, while also paying their rent and parking fees.
Another resident, who wished to remain anonymous, said: "My family have personally had accommodation expenses accepted and were due for payment, and then a few weeks later the same expenses rejected.
"They call this area Moneyhole for a reason, our savings are sinking.
"We feel that Akelius residential have neglected their obligations as a landlord to provide us a habitable place to live during this stressful and unsettling period."
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A spokesperson for Akelius said: "The meeting was very successful and appreciated by the evacuated residents.
"We shared a detailed time plan and program, to allow residents to return home with confidence.
"The residents were given an opportunity to ask questions and share any concerns.
"We continue to refund evacuated residents’ accommodation until they return home.
"Moving forward, we have a clear plan of action with the evacuated residents, to ensure their safety and wellbeing continues to be a priority during this difficult time."
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