Grant Scott, 49, lives in Penge, in Bromley, with his family.
Mr Scott was moved into his home in Penge in 2014 after suffering a spinal injury in the army 10 years earlier, when he was unloading missiles from a helicopter.
His condition gradually got worse and the dad is now wheelchair-bound as a result of his osteoarthritis.
The veteran’s condition means he’s unable to get into baths and requires a specially-fitted wet room to wash himself.
After living in the home for three years, Mr Scott said the wet room in the house had become structurally weak.
Mr Scott told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS): “The previous one had pretty much fallen apart. If you jumped on the floor upstairs, the ceiling of the wet room would have caved in.”
He added: “It had become so that if I fell over, I would have gone through to the kitchen. That’s how bad it was.
“We’ve still got the watermarks from where the wet room leaked into the kitchen. It’s just diabolical how the housing association has been with us.”
Mr Scott said Clarion, the housing association managing the property, carried out multiple repairs on the wet room but used “every excuse under the sun” to avoid the cost of refurbishing the space.
After the dad’s occupational therapist (OT) called the state of the space “disgusting”, Mr Scott contacted the Royal British Legion charity for help.
He said: “Unexpectedly, the Royal British Legion came down, had a look at it, and got the OT’s approval.
“They said nothing else and within a few weeks, everything was all done. I thought, ‘oh my god, look at this,’ I was honestly in tears.”
He added: “It’s been brilliant, I’m thrilled to bits, I just love it. I didn’t feel safe using it before.”
The Royal British Legion had also helped provided Mr Scott with carpets and kitchen appliances when he moved into his Penge home.
The veteran said he was originally too proud to ask for help while dealing with his injury,
The dad said: “They have been amazing, they’ve been a lifeline. I still don’t like asking for help, it’s just the pride. But there’s no harm in asking sometimes, everybody needs a little bit of help.”
The Royal British Legion’s Interim Director of Services, Nina Villa, told the LDRS: “Christmas can be a time when people’s troubles and worries are exacerbated by the financial pressures of the season or feelings of loneliness and isolation.
“We want the Armed Forces community to know that we are here for them, whether that’s to offer financial support, companionship, or a friendly ear.”
She added: “The support the Royal British Legion offers, and the camaraderie of the charity’s extensive network, means we can make a big difference to our community’s well-being.
“We want all those within our community who may be feeling the pressures of the season to know that they can reach out – our lines are open 8am – 8pm every day.”
A Clarion Housing spokesperson told the LDRS: “We take residents’ concerns seriously and work to ensure we address repairs when reported.
“The issue with Mr Scott’s electric shower was reported to us on April 29 2023 and was promptly resolved with a replacement on May 2. Further to this, an appointment has been booked with Mr Scott on December 28 to investigate the stains on his kitchen ceiling.”
They added: “Our team conducted assessments and completed repairs to the resident’s bathroom, prior to 2019, but we were not aware of any subsequent works carried out by the Royal British Legion. We are committed to supporting residents’ safety and well-being, and would encourage all residents to report repairs directly to us so they can be addressed by a qualified repairs professional.”
