They set my house on fire.. but still can't fix the leak

Mum tells of months of anguish as housing provider fails to resolve issues

- By ELLIOT JESSETT

A MUM from Merseyside said her family has been left traumatised after a house fire caused by workmen who were sent to make her property safe.

Following six months of damaging water leaks, Lauren Keegan says One Vision Housing (OVH) has not only failed to resolve the problems, it has actually made them worse, causing significant distress to her eight-year-old son.

Lauren, 29, moved into the property on Anderson Way in Litherland around six years ago, and was delighted to have her first house, especially so close to her family and friends in Litherland.

Lauren’s life is centred around her son, who has special needs and an autism diagnosis. She also has her own challenges, including a mental health issue relating to depression, and said she and her son rely on a routine to manage the day-to-day demands of family life.

However, Lauren said this routine was upended when water started leaking into the house approximately six months ago. After several requests for repairs to OVH, she said the leaks were getting worse, and no solution seemed forthcoming.

She added: “At first, they told me all the water coming through into the front bedroom was condensation because of our breathing, when me and my son were sleeping in the bed - ‘it’s like if you slept in a car’ they said. I told my mum and we just laughed, saying we'd better start cutting down our breaths.

“This back and forth went on until September, and then the night of the 20th happened. It was like a waterfall, floods of water were coming through. My walls and ceiling were soaked and dripping with water, just massive, uncontainable floods.

“This was at five o'clock in the morning, and when I woke up, it was gushing so badly that I thought someone was running a bath.