A family-of-four has been forced to spend the last four months in temporary accommodation after a Watford housing association botched repairs that should only have taken six weeks.

Dad Thomas Flynn, 53, has vowed not to let Watford Community Housing Trust get away with the "outrageous, disorganised and disrespectful" way the family has been treated.

Mr Flynn and his family were moved out of their Gammons Lane home of eight years and into a retirement complex while damp repairs were carried out.

But 14 weeks on the job is still not finished.

The plumbing and heating engineer, said: "All we want to do is get back home. These people just don’t seem to care. There’s no consideration.

"There was a damp problem in the property. The trust moved us out for a maximum of six to eight weeks - it’s now been 14 weeks.

"The way everyone has behaved has been outrageous. It’s been totally disorganised.

"Four of us are stuck in a two-bed flat in an Old Age Pensioner home. We’re all on top of each other, there’s just not enough room."

The repairs started out well but after two weeks the work came to a standstill.

The Flynns tried contacting the trust numerous times, but to no effect.

My Flynn said workmen damaged the family’s personal property when they attempted to repair the shower room.

He said: "The work just came to a standstill. The way the trust and workmen have operated has been ridiculous.

"I don’t see why they should get away with doing this to us.

"I’m in the building trade myself, I have never treated people with so much disrespect."

The trust has apologised for the "disturbance and upset" caused by the prolonged repairs.

Jane Keegan, head of property at Watford Community Housing Trust, said: "We acknowledge that this job has taken too long, the standard of work was not good enough and that our communication with Mr Flynn should have been better.

"We are sorry for the disturbance and upset this has caused Mr Flynn and his family.

"Based on the lessons we’ve learned from this case we’ll be making changes to our policies and procedures around temporarily moving tenants during extensive works."

Mrs Keegan continued: "We have now completed the damp works and will shortly complete the roofing works.

"We have also taken this opportunity to refurbish the kitchen and downstairs shower room, as well as redecorating the ground floor.

"We will be meeting with Mr Flynn again on September 19, shortly before the carpets are laid, to check he is satisfied with the steps we have taken before the family moves back in."