A THREE Towns couple have been left fuming at a housing association they say are forcing them into a freezing cold home.

Kawsu Bah and his partner Louise McDougall's world was turned upside down when their son - who had muscular dystrophy - passed away in September.

As their son was bedbound and in a wheelchair, the couple lived in a specially adapted home, owned by Cunninghame Housing Association (CHA).

Following his passing, CHA had asked the couple if they would be able to move out of the house on Canal View in Saltcoats to make it available for another family in need - something they had no issue in doing.

However, what Mr Bah and Ms McDougall say they have endured since then has left the pair fuming.

The couple were first asked to view a potential new property, owned and sourced by CHA, on St Andrew's Road in Ardrossan.

They claim they were pushed to sign papers on the day they viewed the house, despite having looked around the property and seeing it needed completely decorated and painted beforehand.

After the association agreed to provide vouchers allow Mr Bah to purchase paint and decorate the property, the couple agreed to move into the home on November 13 - and say they were given 28 days to get their new home ready.

It was something they said they felt "pressured" to do - with the pair saying they were told there was "no guarantee" they would have another home to move into should they not accept this property.

After being called by the association "everyday" asking when they would be moving, a few weeks passed and Mr Bah had painted the house, so the couple began moving everything from their old home to this new property in Ardrossan on Monday, December 5.

Then another issue arose - the house had no gas heating and was incredibly cold. They waited two hours to see if this worked but had no such success.

They phoned the association, and were asked to top up their meter. They duly obliged but again to no avail after a further two hours.

Following another call they were asked to contact contractors James Frew to come out and were informed they would arrive before 7.30pm that evening.

Mr Bah and Ms McDougall waited in the car - as the house was too cold to sit in - for their arrival, but they did not make it that evening.

That left the couple with no option but to return to their home in Saltcoats to sleep. This was no longer furnished, as all their possessions had been moved, so they had to sleep on the floor. This was particularly difficult for Ms McDougall who is diabetic and asthmatic.

They informed CHA of this the next morning, who called James Frew once again and an engineer attended the couple's new home in Ardrossan that day. However, the pair were informed that the issue was not with their boiler, but their gas so they could not sort this issue.

Mr Bah said after informing CHA of this, they were told this was "not their problem" and they would have to phone Scottish Gas to fix the problem - and foot the bill themselves.

After repeated calls back and forth - and Mr Bah being hung up on many times - and four days of returning to their old home to sleep on a mattress the couple had returned to the floor there, some sort of solution has been provided.

Heating appears to have returned to the home after CHA sent a member of Citrus Lemon Aid - who is not understood to be a gas engineer - out to their home.

Though the couple say the home "still doesn't feel right" and that this may not be a prolonged fix.

Their 28 days - which CHA have said they do not enforce - to move home is up on Monday, December 11, and they fear they will be forced over to St Andrew's Road and should any problems come up after then they will not have the safety net of their old home.

The couple are to pay rent on both homes this month, and simply cannot believe how they have been treated during this time - whilst they are also still coming to terms with the loss of their son.

They told the Herald: "It's their duty as a landlord to fix the heating before we move into the house.

"We have rights and shouldn't have to be forced into a home that is in no way ready to live.

"They don't care about people's circumstances, they just want to get us out that house."

A representative of the CHA commented: "The Association cannot comment on individual tenants' circumstances, however can provide general information around the allocation and management of our properties.

"Where highly adapted properties are allocated, they are done so on the understanding that adaptations are for the individual identified on the housing application as having accessibility needs. 

"Should the individual no longer be part of the household, alternative accommodation would be sought for the remaining household members.  Whilst this is a sensitive issue, it is to ensure that the finite number of highly adapted properties in our stock are being fully utilised.

"Vouchers are offered to new tenants as standard where a property is in need of decoration, to ensure that properties can be let as quickly as possible, given the high demand for our stock.

"Existing tenants transferring to another CHA property are not held to the standard 28 days' notice, and are able to hand in their keys before or after this date depending on their individual circumstances.  Housing staff will keep in regular contact with tenants to offer support and assistance during this time.

"Void properties are subject to utility meter credits, where required, and gas safety checks.  Issues for new tenants are rare, but repairs can be arranged quickly if required, and the Association's Lemon Aid staff can support new tenants to register with utility providers.

"The Association prides itself on providing a high quality service to new and existing tenants.  Officers are available to provide support and assistance, and repairs are dealt with promptly. 

"If a customer feels they have not received this level of service, our complaints procedure provides a mechanism to escalate this."