Olympic medallist Liz McColgan has hit out at a tenant who reported her to the Private Rented Housing Committee — claiming that the tenant is “only trying to jump to the top of social housing”.
McColgan was censured by the committee for failing to ensure that the house in Warddykes Road in Arbroath was “wind and watertight” and that the structure and exterior of the house was in proper working order.
Tenant Lynn Fraser, who resides at the property with her 23-year-old son who has leukaemia, complained about the two-storey house’s uneven floors and stairs, leaky windows, severe cracks in the bedroom walls and subsidence.
The Private Rented Housing Committee has given the former athlete three months to carry out repairs. If she fails to carry out the repairs then she faces a criminal conviction.
Ms McColgan told The Courier that she had “done everything in the correct procedure and legally right.”
She said she had given Miss Fraser the house as she had been a friend and that she had spent “thousands” on repairs at the home.
The Dundee-born athlete, who won a silver medal at the 1988 Olympics, added: “Miss Fraser has reported this issue with the house when she was fully aware of the ongoing dialogue with the insurers and is only trying to jump to the top of the council housing.
“She has not paid rent even before the council issued their finding who, by the way, have said I have been doing repairs.
“The main problem is subsidence. You cannot just go and replace every window in the house if the problem has not been fixed as it would happen again.
“I have had to wait for the insurance company to investigate and find the problem which they have and the house will be repaired.”
She added: “I have invested over the years to bring my portfolio up to a good standard and you always have repairs.
“Hopefully my factors deal well with the tenants , as I no longer live in the UK, but if any tenant is not happy they can contact me directly which a few have done in the past and I will sort the issues as best I can.”
Miss Fraser, who has lived at the property since May 2014, is a full-time carer for her 23-year-old son Blair who has leukaemia.
She said she was hoping to be rehoused by Angus Council and intended to leave the house “as soon as possible”.
She said: “Liz and I were friends. We were at school together but the main reason we are friends and that I took things as far as I did is that my son’s got leukaemia.
“Liz was patron of Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research and that’s how we became very friendly and that’s why I’m so annoyed at her leaving us in this state.
“There’s a lot of cracks upstairs in the house. None of the upstairs windows fit.
“The (Private Rented Housing Committee) inspection took place on June 15.
“Within two days I had a notice to quit to get out. It’s because of all the problems that have still to be sorted out.
“I didn’t pay my rent in June or July, but they have a deposit of more than a month’s rent.
“I’m trying to get a council house because my son’s got medical needs. I just want to get out of here.
“The council just can’t give me the first two-bedroom flat that comes available because it’s got to be suitable for my son.”
