HAZARD tape and warning signs have been placed over a house by a woman in protest at the state of the building.

Muriel Swift says the house in Stockwells, Moreton-in-Marsh, belonging to Bromford Houses is in disrepair and is angry she is having to pay "bedroom tax" for two rooms she claims are unlivable.

Bromford disputed this and said an independent structural survey had found no part of the home uninhabitable but would be carrying out improvements.

She had hoped to use the Right to Buy scheme to buy the house but said she would struggle to get a mortgage because of the state of the building.

In desperation, the 41-year-old has covered the house in the tape and placed a sign on top of the porch as a final bid to get Bromford to carry out work.

Miss Swift said: "It feels like they don't want to help me.

"If I was to leave the property I know they wouldn't be able to rent it to someone else because it is in such disrepair.

"I am happy to pay but I am paying for two bedrooms I can't use at the moment."

Mould and cracks have appeared on the walls of the rooms and she can no longer use them when her adult children come to stay.

Miss Swift believes she should be entitled to a discount for the two rooms and said she had been trying to get them to fix the issues for seven years.

She has lived in the street for 30 years, living at the house for 18 years, and does not wish to move.

Cathy Michaels, Bromford’s locality manager, said: "We have been taking Ms Swift’s concerns seriously for some time and will continue to work with her until they are resolved.

"One of the things we have done is to commission an independent structural survey and the results of that report concluded that no part of Ms Swift’s home is uninhabitable.

"The council’s environmental health team agreed with this assessment.

"What the survey did show is that there were certain improvements needed and Bromford has subsequently put forward a programme of remedial works to the gable end of the property which environmental health and structural surveyors have confirmed they are satisfied with.

"Now that Ms Swift has cleared the loft and bedrooms, we are pleased to confirm this work will be starting on Monday (March 6)."