A devastated Scottish homeowner has shared how his flat has been flooded with rancid raw sewage - but said engineers can't fix the problem because of an abandoned Aston Martin.
Richard Holligan, 47, bought his three-bedroom flat in April this year but said his dream home in Glasgow has turned into a nightmare after sewage poured into his hall and bathroom. Communications manager Richard said the stench in his ground floor flat became so bad he was forced to draft in professional cleaners.
A broken outflow pipe is causing the flooding - but workers are unable to remedy the issue because a classic Aston Martin is parked in their way. He is pleading with the owner of the 1970s DBS model car to come forward and remove it before his flat floods again.
Richard, from Shawlands, said: "What should have been my dream home is beginning to turn into a nightmare. Within a couple of weeks of moving in, the bathroom became filled with raw sewage.
"It was absolutely disgusting. I feel as though all the joy of moving into a new home has been ruined because of the terrible mess I've had to put up with.
"I came home from a night out and was shocked to see filthy water pouring out of my bathroom and into the hallway. The stench was unbearable, completely insufferable.
"The mess was so bad my insurers sent out industrial cleaners to tackle it. The smell was awful, and the sewage was everywhere and completely ruined the bathroom."
Richard said has tried in vain to trace the Aston Martin's owner. As it is parked in a private garage he has been told the only way to have it removed is for the owner to come forward.
Similar makes can fetch anywhere between £25,000 to more than £100,000 at classic car auctions, depending on the vehicle's condition.
Richard said he feels left in limbo and is worried his property will flood again if the pipe is not fixed soon.
He said: "The outflow pipe underneath the property is broken and needs to be repaired. However, the engineers can't get to it because this car is effectively blocking their way.
"I've been told it can't be moved by a third party due to insurance purposes and the only resolution is for the owner to come forward and take it away themselves.
"It's obvious the car has been abandoned, there's an old newspaper from 1994 sitting in it. It's basically a shell and I just need the owner to shift it straight away.
"The frustrating thing for me is that the repairs could be done easily and without any issue - if the car was gone. No one wants to take responsibility for moving it and I can understand that to an extent, but it doesn't help my position at all.
"Meantime, I'm left to worry that my flat could flood again at any moment. The pipework needs to be removed and a new piece installed to make sure this doesn't keep happening.
"I don't know if the Aston Martin's owner is aware of the issues his vehicle is causing. The car has fallen into a state of disrepair, and I just want it gone.
"I've tried everything I can think of to trace this person, but I'm getting nowhere. The worry is that if someone moves the car and causes any damage then they would be liable.
"I'm stuck in an impossible situation until the car is gone and these repairs can be carried out properly. I have the constant worry of when will it flood again and just want the matter resolved as soon as possible."
The factors for the property, Speirs Gumley, refused to comment.
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