A WOMAN with severe health issues says she is fearful she won’t be able to keep her home warm this winter as she battled with her housing association for “vital repairs”.

Beverley Venables, 61, rents a Sanctuary Housing home in Appleyard Avenue, Hockley.

Ms Venables was diagnosed with cancer in her late 20s and despite getting the all clear from doctors suffers from health complications as a result.

She claims she has desperately been trying to get her housing association to fix problems with her home since she moved there in November 2019.

“It has been so stressful living here,” she told the Echo,

“This has not been a happy home. It has been a struggle to live with so many issues wrong with the home.

“I have these gaps and cracks by my windows and doors which let in a chilly draft, and with energy prises rising I fear what it will cost to stay warm this winter.”

By one windowsill she has resorted to using Sellotape to keep the cold and bugs at bay.

She says her letterbox is also faulty and allows winds to come “howling through”.

Ms Venables also claims her shower breaks down and needs fixing “every other month”.

Sanctuary Housing bosses claim the firm has been responsive to her complaints and has sent teams around to address problems as recently as Wednesday.

But her cousin Mark Ratcliff says the family has have been fighting a long-running battle with the firm, with any remedial works either “underwhelming” or “breaking again” within a few months.

“We are terrified for her this winter if some of these holes can’t be plugged up in time,” he said.

A spokesperson for Sanctuary said: “We can reassure Ms Venables we are committed to completing any repairs that are needed. Work on the windows started on Wednesday, August 10 and an emergency appointment to investigate the issue with the shower was arranged when it was reported to us this week.

“We have also spoken to Ms Venables to discuss her concerns about the letterbox and will ensure any additional work required is carried out as soon as possible.”