An East Kilbride election candidate has called on Audit Scotland to investigate South Lanarkshire Council's factoring service.
It comes after Independent Jim Wardhaugh, who represented and is standing in the EK East ward, took on the battle of constituent, Jacqueline Younger.
She has been locked in six-year fight with the local authority to stop water pouring in to her flat in Colonsay, St Leonards.
The "fiasco" raises "serious questions" over the council's factoring service says Mr Wardhaugh - and he now wants Audit Scotland to act.
Although an owner-occupier, the council are factors for Jacqueline's block of flats.
Jacqueline - backed by Mr Wardhaugh - insist the cause of the water ingress is a defective roof.
But the local authority says an independent chartered surveyor has concluded the cause of the water ingress into Jacqueline’s flat is the positioning of her windows – not faults with the roof.
It does, however, concede that roof tiles on the block are “beyond economic repair” and need replaced - at a cost of around £30,000.
However, Jacqueline instructed independent surveyors in 2020 who also concluded the windows weren’t to blame.
Mr Wardhaugh said: "South Lanarkshire Council's factoring service is not fit for purpose, it's as simple as that.
"Jacqueline's case is the tip of the iceberg.
"Despite saying her windows are to blame, they have admitted the roof needs replaced but that will cost approximately £30,000 - in no way can that be justified.
"Also had repairs been carried out on the roof years ago when problems began it might not have come to this - as factors the council are responsible for the upkeep of the fabric of the block."
He added: "I have been a councillor in South Lanarkshire for 23 years. During that time I have a large volume of complaints about the council factoring service.
"This is a particular concern in East Kilbride because of the high proportion of flatted properties.
"I now want Audit Scotland to investigate the factoring service operated by the council in terms of efficiency, level of service and costs of repairs.
"Six years on Jacqueline is still faced with ongoing water ingress - despite windows being refitted more than once.
"And residents of the block also spent money on roughcasting repairs which transpired weren't needed as the council first of all blamed this for the problem."
Jacqueline said: "There is no doubt now that the roof is the problem it seems quite clearly this has been overlooked and neglected for several years by the council's factoring service.
"I had one contractor telling me the roof was a mess and need repaired when just weeks before another had told me there was nothing wrong with the roof after he went up and looked at it.
"This has been going on for nearly six years, it’s been extremely stressful and I'm out of pocket for well over £1000 and still have a flat that needs repairs and decoration internally - but what's the point when water is still getting in. Why should I have to pay for council neglect?"
An Audit Scotland spokesperson said: “We can confirm that Audit Scotland has received correspondence regarding this. We are currently considering this and will reply to the correspondent within our published timescales.”
A South Lanarkshire Council spokesperson previously said that surveys and inspections have identified the cause of the water ingress to Ms Youngers home as being due to her windows and as the windows are not a common part of the fabric, it is her responsibility to address this.
The council went on to say that while they acknowledge Mr Wardhaugh’s comments, these are not supported by the evidence gathered through the surveys and inspections.
They added that as factor they would organise any common repair works needed on behalf of the five owners, including Mrs Younger with the costs then being divided between them and the council which owns one property in the block.
Other candidates sitting in the EK East ward in May's local elections are: Gladys Miller (Scottish National Party), Lorna Gall (Scottish Liberal Democrats), Robert Gillies (Scottish National Party), Graeme David Mullin (Scottish Conservative and Unionist), Kirsten Robb (Scottish Greens), Graham Scott (Scottish Labour Party).
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