NEIGHBOURS say they are living in “unihabitable conditions” — because their semi-detached home is sinking.

The house, on the corner of Macdonald Avenue and Lucas Road, in Farnworth, now slopes as much as six inches from side to side.

But Bolton at Home, which manages the property, insists the residents are not in danger.

Bolton’s social housing provider has delayed repairing cracks to ceilings, split pipes, chimney damage, plaster damage and subsidence while awaiting survey results.

The two families living in the home must wait a further 12 months before the slope is addressed.

Anthony Ramsden, aged 38, of Macdonald Avenue and neighbour Bernadette Houseman, aged 29, of Lucas Road, have now registered official complaints after Ms Houseman first raised concerns to Bolton at Home a year ago.

She said: “There is a foot of water under the floorboards, which is obviously making the floors damp, and bumps in the kitchen floor.

“My kitchen ceiling is coming down, we’ve got serious leaks.

“A stuctural surveyor said he was surprised I hadn’t fallen out of my bed, the house slopes that much.

“Health and safety would have a field day with this.”

Ms Houseman has five children, aged four, six, seven, eight and 10, and said Bolton at Home had been of “little help” to her and her partner, who both work.

Mr Ramsden, who is set to marry partner, Sharon Middleton, in a fortnight’s time, said: “All they say is that they are investigating it.

“The kids’ ceilings are about to fall in and then it will be too late.”

Bolton at Home apologised to Mr Ramsden and Ms Bernadette for the delays to repairing the plaster cracks and flooring, which it now says will be carried out as soon as possible.

But bosses insisted that an independent survey has recommended they monitor the properties for 12 months before addressing the sinking.

“This is common practice where features have settled,” a spokesman said.

“In this case, the two properties have settled to one corner and the same has happened with an internal wall.

“We don’t believe they pose any danger to our customers.”