A couple who moved into a new home were soon left with a sinking feeling after discovering that it was subsiding.

But despite complaining to Aragon Housing six months ago, they are dismayed that no action has been taken and are now saying they will withhold rent until something is done to fix the problem.

However, Aragon Housing this week said there was no evidence of subsidence.

Kirsty McKechnie, 25, and her family moved in to the South Road home in November last year, and immediately reported a crack near the bedroom window.

Now she says there is a crack in almost every room, while window panes are coming loose and the staircase is coming away from the wall.

She told the Chronicle: "A couple of weeks after we moved in we realised it was more serious.

"We've got new cracks throughout the whole house and no doors shut except one, and that's only because the lady before us cut the corner off.

"We can't decorate anywhere and we've now got damp coming through. The actual window frame's not steady and I'm worried about my children leaning on it and it going."

She added: "We must be spending about £90 on gas to keep the house warm. When there's wind you can feel it coming through, it's an absolute nightmare, especially when you can't put curtains up to keep out the draught because the wall's crumbling.

"We keep chasing and chasing and nothing's getting done. They make appointments and say they'll send somebody out but no-one turns up."

Alan Humphreys, chief executive at Aragon Housing, said Miss McKechnie was aware of the cracks when she moved in, and they had already been reported by the previous tenant who said they were not growing.

He said: "These things don't get solved quickly unfortunately but we're aware of it.

"You can't go in there and solve the problem until you know what the real problem is and we're going through the process."

Mr Humphreys added that there was no evidence the house was subsiding, and said structural engineers, who are contracted from an outside firm, visited the home again this week.