A MUM-OF-THREE says she is getting ready for a cold winter after a housing association failed to replace her faulty roofing insulation – despite putting scaffolding up eight months ago to start the work.

Gemma Lewis, 31, of Caradoc Close in Caerleon, says she suffers from constant colds and coughs along with her three children, aged one, three and 14.

Ms Lewis also suffers from asthma, which has been made worse by the situation, and she says she is getting desperate with the weather getting colder by the day.

“I reported the problem back in February,” explained Ms Lewis.

“The scaffolding went up a few weeks later in March, but nothing has been done since.

“I’ve involved Newport Council environmental health team, who have bent over backwards to help.

“They’re as shocked at I am that the work still hasn’t been done.

"It's turned into a nightmare. My neighbours complain about it to me all the time."

Ms Lewis explained the problem came from damp felt in her attic, which she thought had been fixed “years ago” by a contractor employed by Newport City Homes.

But when inspectors came to look again in March this year, they were surprised to find that the damp had been “patched over” rather than replaced.

“Newport City Homes paid for someone to do it, but they didn’t do it properly,” said Ms Lewis.

“I’ve made umpteen phone calls to Newport City Homes to ask when they will be finishing, but you can never get anyone on the phone.

“About a week ago, I was out of the house and I got a phone call from some contractors who said they were at my home to finish the work. I told them to go ahead, but when I got back, it still hadn’t been done.

“To begin with I was asked to clear the loft space, but I’ve since been told lots of times that they can work around it as I’m not able to clear it easily.

“I’m at my wits end, and it’s affecting my children now, who always have colds and coughs.

“The weather is just going to get colder, and I need this sorted.”

A spokesman for Newport City Homes said their residents were the housing association's top priority.

"While we are unable to comment on specific properties or people, occasionally we are unable to conduct maintenance due to the specific circumstances of the resident," added the spokesman.

"We are currently conducting a programme of insulation works to improve the energy efficiency in our homes, which has resulted in scaffolding being erected outside homes.  

"Access issues can result in scaffolding being erected for prolonged periods."