FURIOUS homeowners have been left with no electricity for two days after a feud between the electricity board and a landlord.

Seven properties in Pitville Street, Darwen, many occupied by families with young children, were left without heating, lighting and hot water after the connection was cut on Monday.

Krzysztof Korczynski, who has rented one of the three-storey town houses for a couple of months with his wife Justyna and three-year-old daughter, said they were assured the power could be restored the same day.

However, a back-up generator brought to the site proved to be faulty.

He said: “We got a letter from Electricity North West saying they were coming to investigate the main connection, and they had reason to believe it wasn’t safe and that if this was the case, the power would be disconnected.

“I went to see the landlord on Friday and he said it would all be fine, but on Monday the connection was cut at about 10am.

“We can’t live like this. We have no hot water, lighting and all the food in our freezer is wasted.

“The landlord has been trying to get the issue resolved, but we don’t know when it will be fixed.”

Another resident, who did not wish to be named, said: “The police and electricity board came out on Monday to cut the power. I had to go to my son’s so we could bath our grandchild.

“There are other residents who have babies and can’t even heat up their bottles. It’s ridiculous. The residents are so angry.”

Karen Ainsworth, of Electricity North West said: “We disconnected seven properties which were illegally connected to the network.

“We have been speaking to the owner of the properties for some considerable time to try to resolve the matter and informed the tenants of the situation prior to disconnection.

“Illegal connections are a criminal offence and they put the safety of tenants at risk. It is unacceptable that honest bill-paying residents across the North West are effectively having to pay for others to have free electricity.”

Landlord Shaun Cooney, from Millbrooke Construction in Darwen, said: “The utility company are saying it’s an illegal connection, but I used contractors when the houses were built two years ago.

“All the meters were registered when they were installed. No-one is stealing any electricity. All the meter readings were given on Friday when the electricity board asked.

“I’m trying to get the problem sorted.”