By Susan Lochrie

 

A GREENOCK family left with a swamp of a garden have been told to pay out thousands of pounds before social housing bosses will even consider fixing it.

Cloch Housing tenants Emma McLeish and her partner Gary McLatchie have been forced to make their garden a no-go zone because of dirty water lying stagnant in their grass. 

Despite paying hundreds of pounds in rent for their home in East Street every month, their young children can’t even play outside, reports our sister paper The Greenock Telegraph. 

Now they have been told by Cloch to remove pebble stones, sheds and a wall left behind by the previous tenant.

Fed-up Emma, 25, who suffers from severe epilepsy, is furious over the situation.

She told the Tele: “I don’t know what is in that water but it doesn’t look good.

“There is no way we could let our children out there.

“It is a no-go zone.

“Cloch Housing have been a nightmare, they told us that they won’t do anything until we remove everything in the garden.

“We were told to remove the sheds, but I don’t believe they are the problem.

“There are also pebbles in the garden and the wall but it would cost thousands of pounds to do all this work when I think it is the responsibility of Cloch Housing.

“It is money that we would rather spend on our children.

“They would have to do without so we can do this.

“Cloch even tried to tell us the problem might be the previous tenant’s dogs. It is unbelievable.”

Emma and Gary moved to East Street two years ago in a swap to get access to a garden for their son Leo, four, who was born with a hole in his heart, and eight-month-old sister Lucy.

Emma, who works as a carer at Kincaid House, said: “We would have been better staying in the flat.

“Our children can’t use the garden and I don’t know when it will be fixed.

“It is Cloch’s attitude as well on the phone — they come up with all sorts of excuses.

“They won’t fix our drainage but they would be at the door in a minute if we didn’t pay our rent.

“I was in hospital because of my epilepsy and I am trying to get better to go back to work.

“This this is the last thing I need right now.”

Gary, who works in maintenance, added: “I don’t think we should be doing their job for them.”

Cloch Housing director Paul McVey said: “The association is aware of the complaint and have discussed this with the tenant.

“A meeting will take place later this week in a bid to resolve the matter.”