Woman Forced to Wash Dishes in Bath After Builders Abandon Kitchen Renovation
A kitchen refurbishment has turned into a complete nightmare for a tenant after builders who started the work vanished without completing the job. Heather McKay, 42, has spent six gruelling weeks washing her dishes in the bathtub after contractors sent by her housing association left her kitchen in a state of disrepair.
Derelict Kitchen and No Hot Water
Heather McKay and her partner Anthony Johnson, 41, have been left with what she describes as a "derelict" kitchen, complete with rubble on the floor, broken pipes, and no functioning hot water supply. The sink is unusable, and the couple has no means of cooking or using a washing machine in their own home.
"We've had leaking pipes from the boiler, which goes on and off because of the faulty pressure," Heather explained. "The sink is broken, I have no hot water, no means of cooking, no washing machine. I do have water, but only in the bathroom. I'm having to do my dishes in the bath."
Complaints and Delays
The couple first moved into the property at the beginning of 2025 and immediately lodged numerous complaints with Livv Housing Group regarding the kitchen's poor condition. Builders finally commenced renovations in February this year, but after starting the work, they disappeared without completing the job.
Anthony Johnson detailed their frustration: "When Heather moved in here the kitchen was in disrepair, and we applied for the kitchen to be repaired. About a year or so later this was done; they ripped the whole thing out, put it back to brick, and that was it. They never came back."
The pair were initially told workmen would return to rectify the issues on Monday, March 30, but on that very day, Heather received a letter stating the work had been postponed until April 24.
Passed from Pillar to Post
Heather and Anthony feel they are being passed from pillar to post between Livv Housing and the contractors. "We rang Livv Housing and they said it's nothing to do with us any more, it's to do with the contractors," Anthony said. "The contractors say it's not us, its Livv Housing. We're being passed from pillar to post. We're on the phone every day. Now we're being told it won't be until the 24th of April. It's not good enough."
The situation has taken a significant toll on their daily lives and mental health. "We still have no hot water in the kitchen, no sink. There are wires in the kitchen hanging out. It's just spiralling," Anthony continued. "Heather has had no clean clothes for weeks. We've got no family or friends to help us here. We're on our own. It's affecting us badly. We're trying to clean and dry our clothes in the bath. One little thing and it's just spiralling out of control. We feel depressed. We feel vulnerable."
Health Impacts and Failed Requests
Heather, who suffers from fibromyalgia, revealed that the stress of the situation has exacerbated her condition. She asked Livv Housing to temporarily rehouse her while the problems were resolved, but was instead directed to Liverpool Council's homeless services.
"It's not helping my depression at all," she said. "I've lost weight because I've not been able to eat. It's been awful. I feel let down and I've been basically left. The kitchen is derelict. There's rubble everywhere, rubble on the floor, broken pipes. We've been on the phone to Livv Housing and they seem to think it isn't their problem."
She even requested alternative accommodation: "I even asked if they could put me in a hotel. They asked me to contact housing solutions and they told me it's not their problem to deal with it. So I feel stuck."
Housing Group's Response
A spokesperson for Livv Housing Group responded to the concerns: "We are aware of the concerns raised and understand the disruption this situation can cause. There were some initial delays whilst we worked through some essential access arrangements, to ensure the works could be carried out safely. This has since been addressed, and we are working with our contractor to bring forward the recommencement date. Our team will continue to liaise directly with the customer and provide updates while the work is ongoing."
Despite this assurance, Heather and Anthony remain in their uninhabitable kitchen, washing dishes in the bath and hoping for a resolution that seems perpetually delayed.
