AFTER the pain of seeing their homes deluged with water, treasured possessions ruined, and then the stress of moving into temporary accommodation, the flood victims of Normandy Crescent deserve a break.

That some were being charged two sets of council tax and utility bills as they stayed in makeshift accommodation was, many would say rightly, greeted with outrage.

Families already with lives turned on their heads were being kicked when they were down. Residents had been told that they could be lumbered with forking out extra cash until they had moved back into the Cowley street, which could be as late as March.

It will no doubt be a great relief to those affected that finally Thames Water and Oxford City Council have seen sense.

Both organisations have now turned around and said that none of the 18 households forced to move out would be out of pocket as arrangements have been made to cover the costs. After weeks of uncertainty it is good to hear that the council and Thames Water seem to be getting their act together.

Weeks of added stress from finanical pressure on these families should now – hopefully – be easing. But it should never have come to this. This should have been sorted a lot sooner. What do we pay our bills for?

Thames Water had accused the Oxford Mail coverage of the families’ plight of being “unhelpful.”

It was after highlighting the plight of these families that this U-turn came about.

Let us hope that this change in approach is permanent and that authorities continue to step up to accept their responsibilities to residents they were so close to failing.