A FED-UP resident on a run-down estate is considering taking legal action against a housing association.

Helen Labarre, of Clive Street, Ferryhill Station, says she has suffered nuisance from noisy and abusive neighbours since she moved into her home more than two years ago.

She says the blame lies mainly with the Three Rivers Housing Association.

Ms Labarre says the association's vetting procedure for new tenants is not tough enough and that it is not doing enough to remove existing problem tenants.

She said: "My first contact with Three Rivers was to complain about a tenant, but their attitude was that they couldn't do anything about it."

Ms Labarre said she has also been in touch with environmental health officials and the police to try to resolve the problem.

She said other residents in the Rows area feel the same, but did not want to speak out for fear of reprisals.

"I am upset with the housing association because of the vetting procedures," he said.

"They decided to put those people there, and I think they owe me a duty of care. It is quite clear that they do not comprehend what they are doing to people's lives.

"It's terrifying what it actually does to you. It changes you because you're having to become a spy to report people to Three Rivers."

Pete Ottowell, the association's customer services manager, acknowledged there had been a problem in the past.

But he said vetting procedures over the past 18 months had improved the situation, to the point where 46 out of the association's 62 properties in the Rows were now empty.

He said: "I think that is an indication that we are doing very few lettings in that area.

"We used to have full occupancy, and it is probably fair to say that the people offered property at that time were transient and caused difficulties. But we introduced a very strict vetting procedure. Everybody is subject to a police check, and if there were any problems with previous tenancies we won't accept those people."

He said: "There's little more we can do. We are not letting properties to anybody we deem to be undesirable or with criminal behaviour, and we have stuck to that for 18 months.