A woman found herself trapped inside her "damp, mouldy flat" after the front door handle broke.
Victoria Clarke, 19, claims that is just one of a series of issues she and her partner Jack Jones, 18, have had since they moved into the top-floor apartment at Castle View House on East Lane in Runcorn in December. The couple say their tenure has been blighted by issues, including a leaking gutter they blame for water coming through the ceiling, and a gap around the window they've had to reseal themselves.
Tony Griffiths, 40, Victoria's dad, told the ECHO other problems have included a broken door handle that left his daughter trapped in the flat, and mould growing around the windows which Victoria and Jack are spending a fortune on cleaning products to remove.
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Tony added there had also been a fire in the shared external bin store on Tuesday, February 7. He said he was worried for his daughter because she was locked into a 12-month lease.
Tony said: “Door handles in the flat were broken, including the front door handle - so much so the door handle came off and she couldn't get out. Interior door handles were broken and the fridge. She had food in the fridge and freezer only for days later, to be told not to use it as they were aware it was broken and all her food became inedible.
“We've had to redo the silicone around the windows as they (the landlord) said they would do it but never did.
“The vents within the flat are broken. We've changed the fuses and checked everything and cannot get them to function.
“Because of this and exterior problems, she has constantly got condensation in the flat. When it rains, it always leaks, part of the problem is the gutters.”
Victoria told the ECHO: “We’re still having to deal with all the mould and stuff in the flat. It started in the bedroom and now it’s everywhere in the flat.
“When we first moved in they (the landlords) told us everything was done and since then we’ve had to have the door fixed and fix the fridge and we had to re-silicone the window, and the gutters have been leaking into the ceiling and they still haven’t been out.”
She added: “It’s affected us both mentally, having to get up and clean it ourselves and constantly have to look at it and the amount we have to spend on cleaning supplies to clean it all the time.”
A spokesperson for the building’s maintenance service LIV Group said the firm is responsible for CVH’s exterior and common areas and is looking to resolve the issues by sending a contractor to clear the gutter and liaising with the landlord and owners over the other issues.
They said: “As property managers we are responsible for managing the maintenance of the building’s exterior and common areas.
“We have instructed a contractor to attend the development next week to clear the gutters and are liaising with the owners and landlord to work through the issues relating to the areas of the building we manage.
“We encourage residents to raise any problems relating to the interior of their apartments with the landlord.”
Castle View House was previously a Department for Education office, but was converted to flats under "permitted development" rules after the building's government functions were moved to Manchester in 2013.
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