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Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
National
Sophie Halle-Richards

'We have to wear so many layers just to keep warm - now my baby is always sick'

A mum-of-one says she and her seven-month-old baby have been left in freezing conditions amid claims the windows and doors of her property won't shut properly.

Olivia Ashworth, 20, claims her young daughter is constantly sick with a cold, and says she's having to waste hundreds of pounds a month on heating her home in Whitefield.

She moved into the maisonette in August last year, and claims she's made repeated attempts to contact her housing association, Onward Housing, to try and get the problem sorted.

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Video footage from inside the mum's house shows her able to run her fingers underneath the doors and between the gaps in her windows - which she says is making the house unliveable.

After being contacted by the M.E.N, Onward Housing apologised and say since they were made aware of the issue, they have contacted Ms Ashworth and have arranged a date to carry out the repairs.

"I've been asking for someone to look at it since I moved in," she said, speaking to the M.E.N. "It constantly feels like I have my windows open, they are basically hanging off.

"I have a young baby living with me and it's so cold. I am constantly having to take her to the doctors with a cold and my house is always stocked up with Calpol.

"I'm sick to death of having to sit in a freezing cold house. It's beyond a joke and the housing association don't seem to care about the conditions we are living in."

The mum claims Onward Housing sent someone to look at her property a few weeks ago, and was informed that work was booked in for March 1. But later that day she claims she got a call saying the contractor was sick.

"Then the next time I stayed in all day until 4pm and when I called them they said they had no record of anyone planning to come round that day," she added.

Olivia says she constantly has to have her heating on, which is costing her money she doesn't have. She claims five minutes without the boiler on means her house is freezing again.

"The cost of living is high enough, I don't have the money to just keep putting gas on for my house to be stone cold within five minutes of turning it off," she said.

"We are having to wear so many layers just to keep warm. Last week during the snow it was absolutely awful. I've had to go to the doctors so many times since she was born.

"It's just frustrating because I'm having to spend a lot more money on bills instead of getting the stuff we actually need."

Olivia says because her windows and doors don't seal properly, her home constantly reeks of cannabis, which she claims is being smoked by some of her neighbours.

A spokesperson for Onward said: "Since we first became aware of the issues with the windows and doors at Ms Ashworth’s home, we have contacted her several times to find a suitable date to carry out the repairs.

"We spoke to her earlier today and have agreed to complete this work next Tuesday. Ensuring the safety and wellbeing of our residents is our number one priority. Our neighbourhood team will contact Ms Ashworth directly to understand if any additional support is required before this work is carried out.

"Our safer neighbourhoods team tackles instances of anti-social behaviour, in partnership with the police and other local organisations, and will also speak to Ms Ashworth about her concerns. We would encourage any residents with concerns around anti-social behaviour to report this to us as straightaway.

"Finally, we would like to apologise to Ms Ashworth for any distress and inconvenience that this has caused and will check that she is satisfied with the outcome of the repairs that we carry out."

Read more of today's top stories here.

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