A DISABLED woman who moved into her bungalow only to find it covered in brown nicotine stains has been forced to spend her benefits cleaning it up.
Shirley Sullivan paid out £50 of her Personal Independence Payment (PIP) on bleach after finding her new home in Nottingham in a “filthy” condition.
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The 48-year-old had been thrilled after learning she’d be moving out of her two-bed house. She’d spent three-and-a-half years sleeping on a sofa because she struggled with the stairs.
But her joy turned to fury when she got the keys to her grim new property, NottinghamshireLive reports.
Shirley, who has a slipped disc in her back and osteoarthritis, said she was left “shocked and disgusted”.
“There’s smoke damage from the previous tenant everywhere,” she said.
“There was brown everywhere – it’s very filthy.
“I’m disabled and I’m on PIP to help me to do my day-to-day things.
“But I’ve spent that money on cleaning and decorating because it was that bad.
“We have been scrubbing and scrubbing and more nicotine has come out. Anyone who comes in would be shocked and disgusted.
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“I spent up to £50 on cleaning products. You can smell it even in the loft – it’s horrendous.”
Shirley, who rarely goes out, has been forced to move in with her partner while her new property is being cleaned up.
“Hopefully I will move into the bungalow in the next two weeks,” she said.
“We’re going to the bungalow for the next five days to scrub.
“I need to get my home sorted out but it’s just been a nightmare.
“I think it is unfair and disgusting because a new property should be in good condition.”
A spokesperson for the landlord told the paper: “Ms Sullivan contacted us at the end of June about the condition of the property she had just moved into.
“We investigated the issues she raised and wrote to her in early July, outlining the steps we would take to rectify them.
“We are in the process of completing the remedial works, including replacement of window seals that are nicotine-stained because of the former tenant, who was a heavy smoker.
“We spoke to Ms Sullivan this morning to arrange for these works to be carried out.”
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