Residents of a County Durham street who say they have seen their homes damaged after free wall insulation was installed say they feel "abandoned" by the authorities.
Flickering lights, peeling paint, mould and crumbling walls are just a few of the issues faced by residents of West Chilton Terrace, Chilton, who believe their homes have been damaged by solid wall insulation installed through a free government scheme.
A total of 153 homes in Chilton were encouraged to take advantage of free solid wall insulation (SWI) worth up to £9,000 by Durham County Council in 2021. A leaflet at the time - seen by The Northern Echo - claimed that it would act as a "face lift to older properties" and save residents money on bills with a 20 year guarantee.
However, within just a few years, some residents say they have been left with extensive damage both inside and outside their homes - and feel they have been left with nowhere to turn.
This is the case for 82-year-old Jean Liddle. She's lived in her home on the terrace for the past 50 years - and until solid insulation was installed, she had never had problems with damp.
"It's been like hitting our heads against a brick wall," her daughter Debbie Davison, 56, said as she pointed to walls covered in damp - one of which has even begun to crumble.
Currently, Mrs Liddle is in respite care - but daughter Debbie worries about the condition of her home should she be able to move back.
Tolent, which was originally contracted for the job, went into administration leaving Westdale North to complete the work. Westdale North now say they are "deeply committed to doing all we possibly can" to hear residents' concerns and remain on site.
Durham County Council emphasised it is working closely with residents on the reported issues, describing the situation "complex" due to Tolent's collapse.
Another resident of West Chilton Terrace, who did not wish to be named, said: "We feel angry because we feel like we aren't getting anywhere or being heard. That is the general consensus.
"Everybody's situation is different, but we've bought these houses - my house is my future. You pay so much money for a home to get it exactly how you want it and then it's damaged by something you thought would be beneficial."
"If the council hadn't told us that it was really good and we should get it, we wouldn't have got it done."
Michael Kelleher, head of planning and housing at Durham County Council, said: "The Government’s Local Authority Delivery programme has helped benefit properties across the county, with free energy efficiency improvements delivered to hundreds of houses without any significant issues being reported.
"We continue to work closely with residents, and Westdale North, to investigate and address any reported defects with the solid wall insulation installed at their homes in Chilton.
"We have also arranged for independent inspections to take place at affected properties, including specialist damp surveys, and have provided Westdale North with a comprehensive list of issues raised by residents and identified within the consultancy reports.
"This includes issues raised by Mrs Liddle and her family.
"In addition to this, we have shared advice with residents on how to rectify and prevent issues that arise for reasons other than the works carried out.
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"This has been a complex situation, with the collapse of Tolent causing delays outside of our control, and we understand residents’ frustrations.
"Westdale North has carried out extensive work to resolve the issues and we will continue to liaise with them to ensure any outstanding problems are rectified."
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) have also confirmed they are working with officials regarding complaints they were made aware of this month.
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