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Mum's 'nightmare' over four-year wait for repairs

Elliot Jessett
Local Democracy Reporting Service
LDRS Amy Harris stands in her kitchen looking out of the window. A worktop can be seen behind with bottles and a toasterLDRS
Amy Harris says "jobs are started and then left"

A mother who has spent four years trying to get repairs for her rented home said it has been a "nightmare".

Amy Harris, who has two children, said "jobs are started and then left" after workers caused leaks in the kitchen and bathroom of her home in Huyton, Merseyside.

She moved to the unfurnished property in St Gabriel's Avenue after accepting a tenancy offer from Livv Housing (LH), which committed to a number of home improvements.

A representative for the housing association said: "We acknowledge that our service didn't meet our high standards on this occasion, and we apologise to Ms Harris for any distress this has caused."

LDRS The marks of about six footprints can be seen on a light screed underfloorLDRS
Workmen left footprints on a screed underfloor

Earlier this year, her home required the renewal of doors to the landing, repairs in the kitchen, bathroom and bedroom, and an overhaul of front and rear doors.

In February, LH apologised after a series of complaints and missed appointments, and confirmed a schedule of works.

Ms Harris said: "When things do start to happen, the jobs are started and then left and not done - made worse or damaging what was here already. It's really getting me down."

She added that the "individual jobs are not major but there's a lot of them and they've just not been done".

LDRS Close up image of blueish-white smear marks on a dark zipped coatLDRS
Ms Harris's only coat was ruined by foam

A new screed underfloor had workmen's footprints moulded into it.

Replacement doors were cut and shaped in the hallway instead of the garden - leaving mounds of sawdust on the floor and in the air, which aggravated the respiratory problems of Ms Harris's son.

One workman also accidentally smeared expanding foam over her only coat.

A representative for Livv Housing said: "Over the last few weeks, we have worked hard to make this right, including offering to upgrade and extend the fitting of a new floor, and visiting for support and to supervise progress of the repairs.

"Some of this work is still outstanding, but we have maintained an open dialogue with Ms Harris throughout and plan to have everything resolved in the next two weeks."

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