Vulnerable tenant says new home has broken door locks and raw sewage in bath - but emergency hotline hung up on her

The resident, who wishes to remain anonymous, said she has also had issues with the drains as raw sewage started to rise in her toilet and bath. Mandale Homes, the developer who built the properties next to Beechwood playing fields for Beyond Housing, said the issues have since been fixed.

However, the new tenant, who is disabled, is angry about how she was spoken to by the emergency hotline when she called in the early hours of Thursday (June 16) to tell them about the unlockable back door. She said broken door locks had repeatedly been an issue since she moved in.

The resident added: “Our doors won’t shut and I was told [on the phone] that I was ‘taking the mickey’ and they put the phone down on me. I don’t raise my voice, swear or lose my temper.

"This was the early hours of the morning, they said I had to call back at 8am as it was not an emergency.

“I thought, will I have to sit at the back door in case we have a break-in? How is it taking the mickey to just want your home secure?

The resident also complained about issues with the drains which led to her urinating in a bucket. She added: “The bath or toilet wouldn’t go down but it was raw sewage and it wasn’t overflowing but it was dripping all over. I raised it and we were told that if we were the cause then we would be billed.

"My mam eventually said I needed to go to hers because I couldn’t live like that, it wasn’t fit for purpose.”

While the resident was frustrated that she was warned she would be billed if she was found liable, Beyond Housing confirmed that this is a routine piece of information shared with anyone calling and she was not singled out.

A spokesperson for Mandale Homes said the drain lines were jetted and air tested recently which may have caused some bubbling in the toilet water traps, but since then the drain lines have been clear and running. They added: “We have also had to deal with blockages from sanitary products and baby wipes from some of the homes on the development which may have impacted neighbouring properties on the same sewer line.”

The new tenant moved into the home at the end of February. She added: “What if I didn’t have anywhere else to go to? Do I just swim in a bath of detritus? Do I sit and monitor my back door so no-one gets in?

"Don’t get me wrong, it’s a lovely house and I thank my lucky stars I am here but the main problem is the way we have been spoken to.”

Independent Councillor McTigue, who represents Longlands and Beechwood, has previously raised a number of concerns about the damage done by the developer after construction vehicles drove over pavements and grass verges while using Kirkham Row as an access route.

Speaking about the issues raised by the resident, she said: “It doesn’t surprise me at all with how the work has been carried out and I would hope that Middlesbrough Council would think twice before they allow Mandale Homes to build anything else.”

The council has confirmed that Mandale Homes would be responsible for the cost of any damage during the project.

Coun McTigue has also alleged that soil from the foundations of the development, containing stones, concrete, brick and metal, has been flytipped on the playing fields, however, Mandale Homes said it had not dumped soil and it did not “recognise the validity of this comment”.

A Mandale Homes spokesperson added: “Mandale Homes in partnership with Beyond Housing, have delivered a beautiful scheme of 36 much-needed affordable homes to our area.”

A spokesperson for Beyond Housing, said: “We would advise any customers currently experiencing snagging issues with new properties to contact us so we can work with the developer to resolve them. We understand that issues relating to door-locking in one property on this site have been resolved.

“We are not aware of any building waste causing drainage and sewerage problems in the development but are investigating if this or other issues are causing the problems reported.”