A FORMER chef who was given a few years to live after contracting Motor Neurone Disease has criticised the agency responsible for converting his home.

David Hainsworth said he has been living a nightmare since work started to convert his garage into a downstairs lavatory and bathroom.

He said the 9ft by 7ft extension had taken two years and cost more than £20,000.

Mr Hainsworth, who lives in Richmond, learned he was eligible for grants to convert his home in 2001, but it was a year before contractors arrived to start work.

The delay was partly because of problems finding money for his contribution towards the costs, which was eventually covered by the Motor Neurone Disease Society.

The work was due to be overseen by the Vale and Dale agency, in Leyburn, a subsidiary of the Broadacres Housing Association.

The agency employs contractors for home conversion projects on behalf of the local authorities and has accepted a staff shortage, due to long-term illness, meant there was a delay in work at Mr Hainsworth's house.

But Mr Hainsworth said the problems started once building work began in December 2002. He said the bricks used at first were the wrong type, plastering was uneven and plasterboards were left loose.

Mr Hainsworth also said an electric fan was installed dangerously close to the shower head, the electricity supply was connected to the meter incorrectly and the drainage from the shower was so inadequate he was left ankle-deep in water.

Stuart Oliver, of Vale and Dale, said that some of Mr Hainsworth's comments were justified.

But he emphasised that not all the work could be described as unacceptable and the agency would continue to use the same building contractors.

Mr Oliver said: "We responded by examining each of Mr Hainsworth's concerns in detail immediately.

"However, in this case, I think the client's expectations were perhaps higher than funds would allow.

"Many of the problems would have been discovered during a bedding-in period when the building work was complete.

"It is fair to say the project may have been finished sooner if it had been allowed to progress with fewer interruptions.''