They have been fighting for over a decade to fix their homes and escape debt due to botched insulation, calling it a "never-ending hell".
Numerous Burnley homeowners live with mould, damp, and other damage in their homes after unscrupulous traders installed cavity wall insulation (CWI) under a government retrofit scheme. At an online meeting organised by the Burnley Express and the SSB Law Victims Support Group, several victims called on the Government to urgently deliver repairs and reforms under its latest incarnation of the energy-saving scheme, the Warm Homes Plan.
Sharon Lord had CWI fitted in 2014 and fears the damage caused by it will become so bad that her home won't be fit to live in.
"It's devastating. [It's] something we thought was going to improve our properties and help us with our bills, and [it was] also something that the Government was pushing for us to do. It's turned into a never-ending hell," she said.
"It's absolutely mortifying that the Government has backed these people to come into our properties and basically demolish them because that's what's going to happen to my property in the end, more than likely. I don't know if my property is saleable, and I'm very much stuck in a rut at the moment."
Sharon says the housing disrepair is also impacting her mental health.
"I suffer with anxiety and stress now because it's just constant," she said, adding that doing minor maintenance to her dwelling is "not worth it because it's damaged and it's going to continue to be damaged. It's devastating and so stressful.
"We're now in 2025 and still fighting to try and get these repairs to our properties. All I want is for my property to be put back to its original state. I'm not interested in extra money or any of that rubbish. I want my home back for myself and my children and peace of mind to know that it's safe and sound."
Another resident, Mat, described seeing damp patches in "pretty much every wall" of his end terraced property after CWI was installed around 2014.
He says he was door-knocked and convinced to take out a no-win, no-fee claim with SSB Law around 2019 to seek compensation for the damage. The claim "dragged on for years" before the law firm collapsed. He then received a demand for £21,000. The debt is secured against his home, known as an interim charging notice. It means that if he were to sell his property, he would likely need to pay the debt before receiving any money from the sale.
To join the SSB Law Victims Support Group, contact Laura.longworth@nationalworld.com