An vulnerable asthma sufferer from St Albans has accused the council of ‘dragging their feet’ over fixing a hole in the roof of her flat.

Courtney Grant, 22, of Northfield Road, Harpenden, has been living with the cracked ceiling for over a year has been frustrated by the district council’s lack of quick response.

The care worker from St Albans is also concerned at how the damage has affected her health over the past 18 months.

She said: “Ever since the roof has been leaking, I am always catching chest infections and other viruses because of the damp and mould.”

Water has also reportedly been getting in through the cracks and flooding the communal area of the building that Courtney shares with three other residents.

Courtney has been living at the £400 a month flat for four years and first reported the damage in September 2014.

She said contractors claimed on the one occasion they did call round to the address that they were ‘unable to gain access’.

She then alleged that council maintenance contractors had marked the work as fixed just two days after she reported the leak as getting worse.

Courtney said: “I’m worried one day I will wake up, and there will be planks of wood on top of me. I just want it to be fixed.

“I have never known a council to be so careless for the health and safety of a vulnerable young girl.

“My flat is not safe for its purpose.”

In a statement, the district council admitted to having problems in accessing the property but maintained that they were doing all they could to repair the damage in the flat.

Head of housing, Karen Dragovic, said: “The council`s contractor has tried on several occasions to investigate the leak but there have been difficulties in gaining access including last week when an appointment had been made.

“The roof was inspected on that occasion, however, and a fault was found which may be the source of the leak.

“Attempts are now being made to contact the tenant in order to carry out the repair.”

She added: “We always respond to complaints from our tenants and look to carry out essential building work promptly.”