THE landlord of a house in Darwen in need of several repairs has been given six weeks to fix it or the council will step in.

Thirty-six-year-old Paul Dutson and his girlfriend, Emma Watson, 21, said they moved into the Heys Lane house as an ‘emergency measure’.

Both are unable to work through disability and unable to afford the deposit to move anywhere else.

They moved into the house in July last year, and said landlord Alan Tomlinson, who waived the deposit, promised to sort out defects in the house.

The problems include: Missing front door panels that are boarded up.

The dining room window leaks in when it rains.

A hole in the dining room ceiling, due to damp from the bathroom above.

The bathroom floor is swamped due to water leaking from the toilet pipe.

Mould due to damp on the wall in the spare bedroom.

Mr Dutson said the house, which he pays £400 a month to live in, was not fit for rats to live in.

He said: “The landlord said he would come and fix it but he hasn’t. When it rains the dining room window leaks in and it is like a river. The landlord did come to fix the toilet and but mended the flushing mechanism which was the wrong bit.”

Sudell councillor Paul Browne went to look round the house and was shocked.

He passed the issue on to officers in Blackburn with Darwen Council’s housing department and they, along with Mr Tomlinson, had a look round.

Mr Tomlinson agreed to fix the problems within six weeks.

Executive member for housing Coun Tony Humphrys said: “We have supported both the landlord and the tenant to come to an agreement about the repairs to the property and the timeline for carrying these out.

“We will continue to monitor the situation.

“The council has a number of powers which it can use to make sure housing standards in privately rented properties are maintained.”

Coun Browne said: “I am glad our housing department got on the ball and sussed the problem out. I will tell anyone else in rented accommodation to do the same if they are in this situation.

“Contact your local councillor and they will help you out.”

Mr Tomlinson said: “I accept work needed doing but at the time he moved in, Paul was seeking new accommodation and said he didn’t want me to start work as his girlfriend, Emma, had asthma.

“Once that fell through I arranged to go to see the house with people from the council’s housing team.

“I would have started work on Tuesday but because of Emma’s asthma, they didn’t want me to.

“I have a plasterer going in today. Believe me I would rather have done it earlier as I am paying my plasterer extra and he certainly doesn’t want to work on a Saturday.

“I know the house does look a little underwhelming but the tenants haven’t done anything to enhance it.

“The tenant has to take a major responsibility for the state of the house.”