A GRIEVING Greenock mum-of-two is locked in a dispute with a housing association triggered by a double family tragedy.

Kendal Moore has found herself caught up in a battle with Oak Tree Housing after losing her aunt and then her mum, reports the Greenock Telegraph.

The row broke out after the 31-year-old found herself having to sort out the shared ownership arrangement of a house in Inverkip Road following her mum’s death last year.

The property originally belonged to her late aunt, who entered into the agreement with Oak Tree.

Now, three years on, with the property still unoccupied, Kendal could be forced to give up the share of the property just to clear £7,000 worth of unpaid rent which has built up.

She has blasted Oak Tree bosses for blocking attempts which she says the family made to deal with the property back at the time.

Now she is also warning others off from entering into shared ownership schemes.

Kendal, 31, who lives in Dempster Street with her four-year-old son Kian and eight-month-old baby Leo,  said: “I am angry because my aunt paid everything and owed nothing, so why should they get it all after the money my aunt put into the house?

“We asked them if they could buy back the share at the time when my aunt died and they said no.

“Then we asked if we could rent it out to pay the rent and they said no.

“Then we were later told that we could have done both these things.

“This has just spiralled out of control.

“My aunt owned a quarter share in the house with Oak Tree.

“She had learning difficulties and this was a way of her to have security and her own house.

“They are now trying to force me to sell the share to them and I am not going to accept it.

“I believe they are in the wrong.”

When Kendal’s aunt, Patricia Coats, passed away aged 53 her share went to Kendal’s mum, Linda Moore.

But Linda had faced a 10-year battle with a complex heart condition which eventually caused all her organs to shut down and she tragically died of pneumonia in December 2015.

In her last months Linda found herself at odds with Oak Tree Housing over the future of her sister’s house.

Kendal said: “My mum was told by doctors that there was nothing more they could do for her.

“She had the condition for 10 years and I cared for her.”

But at the same time Linda was also trying to deal with the Inverkip Road property.

Her grieving daughter said: “My mum couldn’t do it. She was seriously ill.”

Now Kendal is left facing the housing association all by herself.

The estate has racked up legal bills, council tax debt and there is £7,630 in rent arrears against the house.

Kendal said: “I have had all this to cope with after losing my mum and my aunt. We are a small family — there was only really me, my mum, my aunt and my brother.”

The house is on the market for £40,000 but no one has snapped it up.

Kendal added: “We have had people interested but I think the part ownership puts them off.

“Oak Tree says that it isn’t as straightforward as I make out.

“The rent arrears and bills are now so much that it would be more than our share so Oak Tree have declined to sell to potential buyers.

“They have told me they are sorry but there is nothing they can do.

“I have spent hours worrying, not being able to sleep. I would like Oak

Tree’s boss to meet me face-to-face. I want them to waive the rent arrears.

“Shared ownerships seem attractive to get you on the property ladder but this has been a mess. I would certainly not recommend it.”

Oak Tree director Nick Jardine said today that the association had followed the rules as they were at the time.

Mr Jardine added: “We have been very sympathetic and in normal circumstances we would not have allowed arrears to go to this level.

“However we have now instructed our solicitors to make an offer for the property and we await a response.”