A VULNERABLE Greenock man fears someone could be killed by crumbling masonry from his second floor flat after it was damaged by water leaks which he says he was wrongly blamed for.

Greenock Telegraph: Christopher McKenzie raises concern about 'crumbling' stone

Dad-of-two Christopher McKenzie has decided to publicly raise the alarm after complaining for 14 YEARS about water damage and repairs needing carried out at the Lynedoch Street tenement he stays in.

He says when his landlords Oak Tree Housing finally took action to repair a window he was told by a contractor there was stone coming away from the building and that the gutters and roof both needed repaired.

Christopher fears for his own safety going in and out of his flat, along with that of people walking along the busy street.

When the Tele visited his address, water damage and erosion of stonework surrounding his windows was clearly visible, but Oak Tree chiefs insist the structure is safe after they instructed repairs.

Inside the property there is water damage to ceilings and what appears to be patches of mould.

Greenock Telegraph: Christopher McKenzie raises concern about 'crumbling' stone

Christopher said: "I am worried that the stone will fall and hit someone walking underneath. It is in a bad state of disrepair.

"I want to feel safe and I think it is a danger. I have been complaining about this for 14 years, but I was not listened to.

"The gutters need fixed and the roof and the windows are bad. This has caused the water to run down the building.

"The house is also riddled with dampness."

To compound the situation, Christopher claims that he has wrongly been blamed for water ingress affecting flats and commercial premises beneath his home.

He told the Tele: "I have been getting the blame for years for water flooding flats down below and the shop at the bottom.

"When the guy came to fix the window and told me it wasn't my fault, I just burst into tears.

"My other window is broken and needs fixed as well. There is water damage all over the house and the stone round the windows is coming away."

Greenock Telegraph: Christopher McKenzie raises concern about 'crumbling' stone

The 41-year-old moved into the flat in the middle of Greenock following a spell staying in the Inverclyde Centre for homeless people.

He suffers from serious mental health illness following a breakdown and has also lost close family members in recent years.

Christopher said: "I have struggled badly, and it does not help when you are getting blamed for causing water damage that is not your fault and no one listens to you."

When the Telegraph contacted Oak Tree to raise their tenant's safety concerns about the condition of the building, the housing association insisted that matters were in hand.

Oak Tree say that the rendering has been made safe and that there will be more repairs to follow.

A spokesman said: "I am able to confirm that the render to the building was made safe.

"We are awaiting quotes for the follow-on works and will get these works carried out as soon as possible.

"I can confirm that the gutters have been cleaned and no follow-on works to the gutters or roof were identified."