A Denholme family have compared their home to “living in a cave” after waiting for more than a year for essential works to the property by the landlords.

Problems at the house in Hillcrest View include a hole knocked in the kitchen wall last spring in preparation for an extractor fan that was never installed, and almost every wall in the house riddled with damp and mould.

Sandra Halliwell (58), her daughter Teri Leigh (23), and son James (34) moved into the property last April from Bracken Bank, Keighley, and ever since they have had major issues with the building, owned by the Home Group.

Now the group has apologised for the delays, and been warned that Bradford Council could force them to carry out repairs if they do not do so soon.

Wallpaper has peeled off the walls because the damp is so bad, and the family has been warned by electricians not to use lights in some rooms because of faulty wiring.

Bradford Council officers visited the property on Friday to meet Mrs Halliwell and a representative from the housing company, but no-one from Home Group attended.

Several repairs, including installing the extractor fan and replacing a collapsing porch roof, were scheduled for February but never happened.

Mrs Halliwell, who is unemployed, said: “People from Home Group have come over and said this, this and this needs doing, but then nothing gets done. It is like living in a cave. We can’t decorate because whenever work does get done it might all have to come down again.

“I have arthritis, and it has got worse since I’ve been here. I also have long-term depression, and that has got so bad now I have to see a psychiatrist.

“We just can’t make this place our home. The walls are falling apart, water seeps down the walls and a lot of the air vents are covered up. It is a really nice house if they just sorted it properly. I pay all my rent on time, so they have no reason not to do this.”

David Shepherd, assistant director of housing at the Council, said: “An environmental health officer from the housing standards team has undertaken an inspection of Mrs Halliwell’s property and has informed the landlord of the works required to address deficiencies identified.

“The officer has an on-site meeting arranged with Home Group for Friday to assess progress.”

Mark Palmer, Home Group’s head of customer service, said: “We’re sorry we’ve fallen below the high standards we expect of ourselves. We’re meeting Mrs Halliwell this week to plan a timescale for all repairs.”