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A tenant spent thousands of pounds renting a property he couldn't spend a single night in - after residents were left with no showers or heating.

Neil Martin, 33, from Kirkby, paid upfront for a six-month lease on a flat in Young House, a new development on Vauxhall Road. With deposits and agency fees, he claims he paid over £4,000.

However, when he got hold of the keys in August, he was told there was no internet in the building and no wiring to get any kind of broadband.

Neil works as a graphic designer and internet access is essential for his work, so he couldn't move in until broadband was installed.

(Image: Neil Martin)

Nearly two months later, internet was finally installed in the building - meaning Neil had paid two months' rent for a flat he couldn't use.

With only three months remaining on his tenancy, the gas to the building was shut off entirely - leaving every tenant without heating or a cooker.

Neil said: "The building runs on gas. Central heating, gas cooker. I called Cadent, the gas network, who helpfully informed me that their supervisor, upon inspection, had deemed it so dangerous that the gas had to be switched off immediately.

"In their words, it was a 'risk to life'."

A Cadent timeline shared with the ECHO confirms that on October 27, the gas network carried out an inspection and "advised of an immediate safety risk", forcing them to disconnect on the same day.

Hot plates and fan heaters had to be delivered to every flat and Cadent attempted to contact Patrick Young, the developer.

Neil added: £I began moving out the few small boxes I had taken to the flat because this was the final straw for me."

Neil also claims the council were called in to inspect the property and ordered temporary electric showers to be installed or the building would be "classed as unfit for human habitation."

Liverpool council confirmed their housing team visited the flats and advised the developers showers needed to be installed or it would risk becoming "uninhabitable".

(Image: Neil Martin)

They said showers were installed the same weekend and that the gas was back on in the building on December 7.

Neil claimed his estate agents Peter Anthony had refused to offer him any compensation - but the company told the ECHO the dispute was between Neil and the developer - who it is understood is now arranging compensation.

Neil said: "In short, I've spent over £4,000 for an apartment I haven't been able to spent a single night in due to problems which should have been rectified long before any tenant moved in."

Peter Anthony estate agents said: "This is a matter between the freeholder and developer Patrick Young and Cadent. Peter Anthony are not party to this dispute and thus cannot comment on the details of this dispute.

"Peter Anthony has every sympathy with the tenants of Vauxhall Road and has worked tirelessly on their behalf to get the freeholder and developer Patrick Young and Cadent to resolve this dispute as quickly as possible.

"Peter Anthony understand that Patrick Young has now agreed to compensate tenants for this period."

A spokesperson for Peter Anthony also said: "Since the issue with the gas arose, we have been putting pressure on the developer to issue our tenants with compensation.

"We have now been advised that the developer is offering one month's rent as compensation and this offer has been put to all our tenants within the development and which the majority have accepted."

The ECHO has attempted to contact Patrick Young for comment.