A GRIEVING daughter who has waited nearly a month for the council to collect her late father’s furniture says she feels “stuck” as she awaits closure.

Tracey Pollard started clearing out her father’s home in the Turpins, Basildon, after he passed away in September.

She paid £30 for Basildon Council to collect her father's bed, sofa, and other furniture on March 7.

But nearly a month later, she says nobody has come to collect it.

After being contacted by the Echo, Basildon Council vowed to collect the furniture within 24 hours.

Mrs Pollard, who lives in Takeley End, Basildon, has complained to the council and claims she has spent a total of six hours on the phone, trying to get them to take the items away.

She said: “I feel stuck. I want to start getting closure, but my dad’s settee and his bed have been sitting there for a month.

“This is at a time when there’s so much else to do. ‘Frustrating’ is not the word.

“It’s on my mind constantly. As soon as I pull up at his house, I can see the furniture sitting outside.

"As the weeks go on, I get more and more annoyed. I’ve paid for a service and I’m not getting it. I’ve just lost all hope with them.”

Echo: Stuck - Mrs Pollard says her father's furniture should have been collected nearly a month ago.Stuck - Mrs Pollard says her father's furniture should have been collected nearly a month ago. (Image: Tracy Pollard)

Despite urging the council to collect the furniture in time for an estate agent to come and take photos of the house, Mrs Pollard says she was forced to move the furniture out of the way herself.

She added: “We shouldn’t be having to do that.

“I’ve spent £30 on this. They’re taking money off you and not carrying out what they said they would do.”

Mrs Pollard, who works full time, has had to spend her free time contacting the council.

She said: “I’m so annoyed. I’ve been dreading going to my dad’s because the furniture is still there, even after they told me it’s going to be collected.

“I haven’t got any patience anymore."

A Basildon Council spokesman said: "We sincerely apologise to Mrs Pollard for this delay and the inconvenience it has caused.

"We have made arrangements for this waste to be collected within 24 hours."