Hacking and Paterson say our damp, mould-infested flat isn't an emergency

Hacking and Paterson are accused of not treating their situation as an emergency, despite damp which has caused ceilings to cracks and mould to grow in their flat’s carpets.

Paul and Jennie are moving into temporary accommodation on Monday, March 9 to escape their grim conditions.

Paul said their Renfrew home was being “slowly destroyed” by a leak in a shared close roof, which has seen water pouring into their flat when it rains.

Mould has grown on the carpets and roof of the flat they wanted to take their new born baby home to in three months and the ceilings are cracked and caving in.

Paul and Jennie have been trying to have the problem fixed for nearly a year

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The couple claim Hacking and Paterson ignored their repeated calls for action after the problem emerged nearly a year ago.

The factors do not consider the situation an emergency and have put the repair to a residents’ vote.

Hacking and Paterson sent in surveyors to assess the problem, who called C Hanlon, which quoted the company £11,000 to fix the Sarnafil roof, which requires specialist attention.

Paul said he does not understand why the factors opted to delay taking this offer or their decision to put the decision to the residents.

“Hacking and Paterson brought in C Hanlon, so it’s almost like they want to pass the blame onto someone else, saying: ‘this is nothing to do with us - this is what you chose.’”

Another surveyor has quoted residents £24,000 to fix the leak.

What happens next has been put to a vote, with Hacking and Paterson’s letter apparently nudging residents to back a second inspection of the property, which would then mean the work would go back out to tender, further delaying a repair.

Residents have the option of blocking repairs, having surveyors reassess the property or to back Paul’s preferred option of having C Hanlon carry out the repairs as he originally wanted.

Paul said the situation feels “never ending”, with another “six or seven weeks” to wait if residents vote to bring in surveyors again and C Hanlon first quoting him the cost of a specialist roof repair around two weeks ago.

He added: “There doesn’t seem to be any time-limit on how long people can vote for either.

“We cannot buy any essential baby items as the place is a mess and currently uninhabitable for a baby due to the mould caused by Hacking and Paterson’s delay in fixing the communal roof.”

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Before the couple decided to move into a nearby Air BnB, Paul said: “With only three months until the baby is due, we are stressed and worried we’ll have nowhere to live. There is no sign of Hacking and Paterson instructing the work to take place in the near future, despite qualified contractors being ready to go.”

The ballot circulated around the block’s 64 residents does not specify a date by which they must vote, nor does it have a default option which presumes there is no objection to work if they do not hear from residents within a defined timeframe.

Paul has been in contact with the factors to follow this up, but that there were still “so many unknowns at the moment”.

The 38-year-old claimed that, despite the fire brigade, insurers and surveyors agreeing the house is not safe to live in, Hacking and Paterson are not treating the situation as urgent.

As well as mould and the roof caving in, Paul and Jennie’s flat has no smoke alarm, as water was pouring into the property from a space above the alarms.

Paul and Jennie had originally planned to stay a few years in the flat, until their child was to go to primary school, but they do not know how much longer they can stay in the mouldy flat.

One of Hacking and Paterson’s directors has spoken to Paul about his ordeal, but said it was not for the factors to decide what was an emergency.

“He said we can’t just approve £24,000 of people’s money to fix this, but if it’s a matter of health and safety, then they can.

“They have no problem spending £2500 on a surveyor’s report, but when it comes to actually solving the problem they suddenly have all these morals about spending other people’s money.”

The couple put out a letter to their neighbours urging them to vote for the repair.

“We said until this gets sorted out lives are effectively on hold, our home is in your hands.

“Seven people have voted so far but one of the people has actually voted no.

“A few of the residents have contacted me saying, this is a absolute joke, we’re one hundred per cent behind you.”

Hacking and Paterson have not responded to requests for comment.