A man has been left showering in his yard after a dispute with social landlords Silva Homes over urgent repairs.

Jonathan Godsell, 49 of Priestwood, said he went without a shower for three months after delays getting rid of extensive mould and rot that he says left his wet room unusable.

But social landlord, Silva Homes, says it has attempted to fix the problems, but has found it difficult to get access to Mr Godsell's home.

Eventually, Mr Godsell says he was left with no choice but to rig up a makeshift shower in his yard, using a Belfast sink for a basin and a blue tarpaulin for privacy.

Mr Godsell said: “I’ve had six visits of different people coming to look at the problem, but I just feel like they’re fobbing me off all the time.

“I washed my hair and my face in a sink, and my armpits with a flannel. But I didn’t have a shower for three months until I set that shower up outside. And it was incredible to feel clean again.”

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Mr Godsell says he moved into the flat, at The Croft in Priestwood, at the end of May, after health problems left him needing a more accessible bathroom.

But he says that when he moved in, he found the walls in the flat’s wet room were rotten behind the tiling.

He said: “The sealant around the floor hasn’t been up to scratch. This obviously caused water to leak and the walls have been soaking that water up, So they were quite rotten.

“Because it’s been damp in there, that dampness has turned into mould, and the mould is hidden behind the paintwork that has started flaking off.”

He added: “When I moved in there was that horrible, damp musty smell. I had windows, doors open all the time to try and get rid of that smell.

“But it seems like everywhere I look I come across more mould. I was doing a bit in the kitchen about a week or so ago. And I uncovered more mould, where the extent of the leak has spread.”

Mr Godsell says he has had trouble having the wet room repaired. Eventually, he says he had to devise his own ingenious solution.

“I had to extend the shower head out of the window,” he said. “I’ve got the tarpaulin for privacy, I’ve got the Belfast sink to stand in, a bit of drainpipe beneath the sink directs the water away from that corner.

“I turn the shower on, go outside, draw the curtain have a shower, dressing gown on, go in, switch the shower off.”

Silva Homes said:  “We are aware that the bathroom at this property needs repair, and several attempts have been made to book appointments with the customer to carry these out.

“Unfortunately, we have faced challenging circumstances in gaining access and our team are continuing to try and work with the customer to remedy the situation.”