'It's worse than when I left it': Mum left living in hotel for two weeks slams building work on her home

A mum of two who says she has been living in a hotel for two weeks whilst building work is being carried out in her home says it is 'worse than when I left it'.

Gemma Hotchkiss, who lives in Denton with her two young children, spoke to the M.E.N in December last year after complaining of mould, damp and uneven flooring in the building. Gemma, who suffers with fibromyalgia and complications following a major operation in 2020 which affects her mobility, said she had to have her carpet taken out because of the issues in the property.

She temporarily moved out of the house two weeks ago after Jigsaw Homes, the affordable housing provider who owns and manages the property, hired contractors to carry out work.

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Work has since been done to retile worktops in the kitchen, the walls have been repainted and builders have replaced the uneven floor across the ground floor. But, after finally being told she could move back into the property on Monday (February 27), Gemma said she was left unimpressed.

“I should have been home last week but they’ve continuously delayed it and delayed it," Gemma, who has a nine-year-old daughter Amelia and three-year-old son Oliver, said.

“It’s worse than how it was when I left it. They said it’s technically liveable, but I don’t agree.”

Gemma said the property is ‘covered’ in 'messy' paint work, scratches and marks on the wall and the tiling in the kitchen is already falling apart.

“The work isn’t even done to a good standard,” she explained. “It’s been left a complete mess. It should have been put back how it was or better, and that’s what the builders' promised, but it’s just not.”