FAMILY has been forced to seal their doors and walls with tape, curtains and wallpaper to stop raw sewage seeping into their house from their flooded garage.

Scott Johnson, 34, wife Lisa, 33, and their three children have been battling to solve the smelly problem for more than three years.

They moved into the house in Swanstead, Vange, in June 2011, and first noticed an issue with damp two months later, when boxes of belongings stored in their adjoined garage were destroyed.

A wooden casket containing Mr Johnson’s late mum’s ashes had to be thrown away.

The following December, a workman from housing association South Anglia, part of the Circle group, was called to clear a blocked pipe, after it became apparent the water was in fact sewage.

The problem has continued to get worse ever since, with the family, including ten-year-old Bethany, seven-year-old Chelsea and four-year-old Logan, now sleeping together in the living room, as the stench is unbearable is upstairs bedrooms.

Mr Johnson said: “Because three or four inches of water is constantly sitting on the garage floor it has started to work its way up the walls, and is seeping its way into our house.

“We have got through four rolls of sellotape to try and keep the smell out, and have pinned duvet covers and an old pair of curtains to the wall.

“The smell hits you as soon as you walk through the door, so there is no way we can have visitors round. It’s not fair on my children to have to breathe in these fumes. It’s disgusting.

“I know it’s not South Anglia’s fault and it’s one of those things, but it is their fault it has taken so long to sort it out.” Mr Johnson claims he makes an average of two phone calls per week to the housing association, but no measures have been put in place yet.

A workman is set to return to the house today to investigate the problem.

‘A matter of priority’ says housing association

THE HOUSING Association in charge of managing the house has said it is working on a solution.

Tracy White, managing director at Circle Housing South Anglia, said the family’s problems were a “priority”.

She said: “We appreciate the frustration the tenant must be feeling at the moment and apologise for any inconvenience caused so far.

“We have arranged for specialist consultants to attend who will investigate where the source of the water penetration is coming from.

“We will act upon their findings as a matter of priority.”