Purplebricks says it was prevented from dealing with severe damp problems at a property in Liverpool because of communications issues.

The agency acting as letting agents for the house in Netherton near Bootle in the city, said it wasn’t “alerted to some concerns as quickly as we would have liked”.

Hospitalised

Tenant Kayleigh Ryan and her partner Chris, who are facing eviction, say she has suffered from pneumonia, which meant she was hospitalised, because of damp and mould.

They moved into the house with Ryan’s young daughter in 2015, and say the problems have become steadily worse since then, making the property uninhabitable.

The couple say both bedrooms cannot be used, and the ceiling in one is at risk of collapse. And they also say the boiler has also been broken for 12 months, the Liverpool Echo reports.

Ryan, who is 38 and has asthma, said: “I’ve been really stressed and my health is affected. I have asthma and have been admitted at least five times to hospital with pneumonia,” she said.

She is fighting the eviction notice, which gave the couple until the end of November to move out. “I thought this was going to be my forever home, but it’s turned into a nightmare,” she said.

Communication issues

A Purplebricks spokesperson told The Neg: “We are sorry to learn of the issues Kayleigh and Chris have raised about their rental property.

“We take the condition of our properties seriously and are committed to ensuring they are safe and habitable for our tenants.

“In this specific case, historical communications issues meant we were not alerted to some concerns as quickly as we would have liked. We have now spoken to the tenant and have taken swift action to rectify any outstanding issues.”

Pictures: Liverpool Echo