INVERCLYDE’S largest social housing provider told a Gourock couple to claim on their home insurance after its plumber caused a dangerous leak in their kitchen, it is claimed.

Ian and Jean McFadden — who are tenants of River Clyde Homes (RCH) —say they returned from a shopping trip to find water ‘gushing’ from the ceiling onto their electric cooker and sockets.

But the furious couple, of Sharp Street, say staff at the housing association insisted that they must contact their own insurer over the damage — even though it appears to be no fault of their own.

Ian, 51, told the Telegraph: “River Clyde Homes had a plumber out doing a job for another resident and he was working in the attic space above our kitchen.

“He said there was a leak already and he’d moved insulation and that’s why it must have been coming through the ceiling.

“I told him that we’ve been living here for three years and there’s never been as much as a speck on that ceiling.”

Jean, 59, added: “We’d gone out shopping and the house was fine when we left, but when we came back water was gushing through the ceiling onto the electric cooker.

“It was very alarming.”

Now the couple have been left without cooking facilities and they’ve also had to move their chest freezer into their hallway because of water getting into the kitchen sockets following the incident on Tuesday afternoon.

Ian added: “River Clyde Homes at first sent out a roofer and he said that we needed an electrician and a plumber asap.

“Their attitude was that we should claim on our house insurance, but that would be their mess costing us money.

“They’ve sent electricians out but when they put the cooker on the electrical supply is tripping.

“It’s beyond me how River Clyde Homes can say that we have to be out of pocket through absolutely no fault of our own.”

The housing association say their plumber was sent to the close following reports of water ingress.

Paul Kilmarnock, repairs and voids manager for RCH, told the Tele: “He ascertained that the issue related to the cold water feed from the tank in the attic and therefore drained the tank.

“However, there was a crack in the pipework which wasn’t obvious to the plumber until the tenant of the affected property returned home. 

“When we became aware of this issue we attempted to take steps to resolve the problem but our offer of assistance was refused by the tenants.

“A further tradesman who was sent out to the scene was also refused admission.

“An electrician attended to disconnect the cooker and test adjacent sockets to ensure that they were safe to use.”

The association said it was sending another electrician to the house along with a specialist contractor to conduct further tests and report back on any damage.

Mr Kilmarnock added: “RCH will contact Mr and Mrs McFadden to further discuss any damage caused.”