Contractor admits preparatory flooring work ‘did not meet the standards we expect’

A TENANT says she was left “angry, stressed and upset” after work carried out on her wetroom floor allegedly caused further damage and raised concerns about potential flooding.

In an email complaint seen by The Herald, Katie Louise-Howells, from Milford Haven, said her wetroom floor needed replacing after anti-slip flooring “blew”, allowing water to seep underneath the material and into the concrete base.

She claimed a contractor from Cardo was assigned to the job and was in her home for around 30 minutes, leaving behind what she described as an “appalling” standard of workmanship.

The tenant said she contacted Cardo the following morning to complain and requested that a supervisor attend to inspect the work.

She alleged the contractor returned before the supervisor arrived, but she refused to let him continue until the standard of work had been reviewed.

According to the complaint, a supervisor later attended and agreed the work was not to the “best of standards”, but the tenant claimed it was dismissed as a “work in progress”.

The tenant alleged self-levelling compound had been poured over old anti-slip flooring and trim without proper preparation.

She also claimed the material had been spread over her threshold and toilet, and that product had been left outside her home.

She added that her daughter stepped into a half bag of mix which had allegedly been spilled on the driveway.

Drainage concerns

The tenant said she later sought advice from WB Griffiths and another self-employed contractor.

She claimed she was told there was now “no other choice” but to have a tray fitted, as the floor had not been properly feathered and there was no proper run for water to drain away.

She said this could potentially lead to flooding issues, and added that she would now like a surround fitted around the tray to help prevent spillages.

“I am so angry,” she wrote.

She said she was not asking for compensation, but wanted the work completed to a “high and good standard” to prevent further problems.

The tenant also claimed Cardo had not admitted fault or apologised.

Cardo response

Responding to the concerns, Rhydian James, Managing Director of Cardo (Wales & West), said: “Cardo carried out preparatory flooring works on behalf of its client.

“We recognise that the work undertaken did not meet the standards we expect, and we are sorry for this.

“Due to scheduling and access challenges, it was agreed with the client that the remaining works would be completed directly by them to help minimise disruption to the resident, and we were therefore unable to return to site to address the issues.

“We have addressed this with those involved to ensure this does not happen again.”

Tenant remains unhappy

After being shown Cardo’s response, the tenant said she remained unhappy with the way the situation had been handled.

She claimed there had been a lack of professionalism throughout and said she felt she had been left to do “all the chasing” because of what she described as vague communication.

She also criticised what she described as poor working practices, claiming the floor had not been properly prepared and that dust sheets were not used while wet mix was brought into her home.

She further alleged that rubbish and leftover product were left outside her property and on her driveway.

“There was no pride at all,” she added.

The tenant said she is now waiting for the remaining work to be completed and hopes the issues can be resolved quickly to ensure the wetroom is safe and properly finished.

PEMBROKESHIRE foster carers have spoken about the small but powerful moments that show children in their care are beginning to feel safe, supported and able to trust again.

The comments have been shared as part of Foster Care Fortnight, the UK’s largest annual campaign to raise awareness of fostering, which runs from Monday, May 11 to Sunday, May 24.

This year’s theme, This is Fostering, focuses on the real experiences of foster carers and the vital role they play in helping children recover from trauma.

For many children who enter care, trauma can lead to anxiety, emotional shutdown, intense reactions, difficulties with boundaries, or problems following rules.

A national survey commissioned by Foster Wales found that around 80% of carers questioned had supported children showing behaviour of this kind.

However, half of those surveyed said they had seen a meaningful breakthrough within the first six months.

These moments can be simple, such as a child laughing, talking about their day, asking to watch a film, or opening up about something that has happened to them.

But for foster carers, they can mean much more. They are often signs that a child is beginning to feel safe, loved and supported.

Almost all carers questioned, 93%, said that with experience, support and professional guidance, they now feel confident responding to trauma-related behaviour.

Pembrokeshire foster carer Lynda, who has been fostering for just over a year, said: “In the beginning, I struggled with my confidence. The child pushed boundaries constantly, fought every option and often wasn’t living in reality. It was difficult to know whether what I was doing was making any difference at all.

“I made it clear through my actions that no matter what happened, I would always be there for them. I praised positive behaviour, set clear boundaries and stuck to them, always explaining why those boundaries were there, particularly around safety. I learned to wait until we were both calm before talking things through.

“The moment that really showed me things were beginning to change was when she opened up about her past and the trauma she had been through. We cried together and hugged. That was the moment I knew she felt safe enough to trust me.

“When you realise you’ve made that connection, it’s the best feeling in the world. Every child wants to feel loved and safe, and once that starts to happen, the rewards are huge.”

Pembrokeshire County Council’s Head of Children’s Services, Chris Frey-Davies said: “Foster carers across Pembrokeshire provide stability, care and understanding to children who have often experienced difficult and traumatic circumstances.

“This survey highlights the importance of local support, training and guidance in helping carers respond confidently to children’s needs over time. The breakthrough moments described by carers, while often small, show that children are beginning to feel safe and supported.

“At Foster Wales Pembrokeshire, we remain committed to supporting our foster carers throughout their fostering journey, ensuring they have access to the help they need to make a lasting difference.”

In Wales, there are 7,200 children in care. Of these, 4,884 live with foster families, supported by 3,538 foster carers.

Foster Wales is the national network of not-for-profit local authority fostering services in Wales.

Anyone interested in becoming a foster carer can find out more at fosterwales.gov.wales.

This Foster Care Fortnight, the local Foster Wales team will be at Tenby Leisure Centre on May 11 from 11:00am to 5:00pm; Haverfordwest Leisure Centre on May 12 from 10:30am to 1:00pm; Haverfordwest Library on May 12 from 3:00pm to 4:30pm; Milford Haven Library on May 14 from 10:00am to 1:00pm; Milford Haven Leisure Centre on May 14 from 3:00pm to 6:00pm; Tenby Leisure Centre on May 18 from 11:00am to 5:00pm; Haverfordwest Leisure Centre on May 21 from 10:30am to 2:00pm; and Fun in the Park at Pembroke Dock Memorial Park from 11:00am to 7:00pm.

Miniature pig euthanised aged 11 after health decline as park celebrates arrival of ‘David Alpacanborough’

FOLLY FARM in Pembrokeshire has announced the sad passing of one of its much-loved miniature pigs, Sylvester, while also celebrating the arrival of a new baby alpaca.

Sylvester, who was 11 years old, had been living with a number of health issues in recent years, including arthritis. Folly Farm said his condition had been well managed by the farm team alongside its on-site veterinary partners, who visit the attraction each week.

However, following a recent decline in his health, the difficult decision was made to euthanise him at the end of last week.

In a statement, Folly Farm described Sylvester as a well-known and much-loved character, who arrived at the park as a piglet with his long-time companion and “partner in crime”, Arnie.

The farm said Sylvester was the quieter of the two, often happy to let Arnie take centre stage during meet-and-greet sessions in the Jolly Barn.

Last year, the pair retired to the Piggery and paddocks over the road, where Arnie can still be seen alongside other pigs.

Two new miniature piglets, Wilbur and Rufus, joined Folly Farm late last year and are now based in the Jolly Barn.

Folly Farm said its thoughts were with the farm team and added: “We’ll miss you Sylvester.”