Still no keys

MORE than three months after it was due to be completed, buyers of a new West Quay house are still waiting for the keys to their new home.

Andrew Landman and his partner have been relying on friends for a roof over their heads since March because of hold ups with the new 170,000 house in Newhaven.

Andrew, 35, a trainee primary school teacher, said: 'We originally paid a reservation deposit for one of the homes in September last year and were told that we had to exchange contracts within 28 days, which we did in October 2001.'

The couple moved out of their Portslade home in March when they were told the new house, part of a Sea Containers development, would be ready.

'We put our cats in a cattery, and moved all our furniture into friends' garages and the excess in storage at 90 per month. We went to stay short term with friends, expecting to be in our West Quay home in the spring,' said Andrew.

But clouds appeared on the horizon when estate agents Fox and Sons said there would be a delay until at least May.

Andrew said: 'This concerned us slightly as the cats were costing 42 a week to keep in the cattery and we didn't want to be reliant on friends' generosity.'

The May deadline came and went. June was set as the new move-in date.

'We negotiated with a new set of friends to stay at their house because we could not rent a flat for such a short period. The June deadline passed and we had heard nothing, though a phone call to Fox and Sons told us that unofficially it was looking like the end of July.'

He added: 'Our friends, though very patient, were obviously tiring of having two extra under their roof for such an elongated period and we decided to split up and stay elsewhere. I am now in halls at the University of Brighton and my partner has moved to London to be near their new job in Whitehall.'

The couple have now heard it could be September before they finally move in. Both are at the end of their tethers.

Andrew said: 'We are at our wits end; have had many arguments; out of pocket in a big way; missing the cats; missing each other and at a loss as to why our home has been so delayed.'

A spokesman for Sea Containers apologised for the delays which he said were caused by bad weather and a labour shortage.

He added: 'This delayed completion on this particular part of the project. We would like to reassure him that everything is being done as quickly as it can.'