We have waited so long to get in our new house, we had a baby

Additional reporting by Jane Barrie Steve and Lana Brown have just one wish this year – to spend Christmas in their new house.

They’ve waited seven months for builders Harron Homes to hand over the keys to their £240,000 property.

There have been so many delays and setbacks that the couple now have a new addition to their family, six- month-old Hannah.

Angry Steve, 37, said: “We can’t go on like this. We’re living with my mum and dad and I have a four-hour commute to work. We’d planned to stay with them for six to eight weeks at the most.

“But thanks to Harron Homes, this situation been imposed on us for more than seven months.

“Our conf idence in thi s company is exhausted.”

The couple, of Aberdeen, agreed to buy the house when Steve, a psychology lecturer, was offered a post at Sheffield University.

They paid a deposit in January and expected to move in by early June at the latest.

In April, the family moved from Aberdeen to live with his parents in the Midlands so Steve could start his new job.

Their new house, in Chesterfield, appeared to be progressing.

Steve, who also has a daughter Lia, two, said: “The final date on the form from Harron Homes was July but they said this was to give them a buffer.

“We fully expected to be in by the end of May.” But May came and went, as did June, July, August , September, October and November. Steve said: “Over t hos e months , H a r ron constantly gave the impression that we would be moving soon.

“But the house was left halfbuilt for three months with no roof whi le the development continued around it.

“Harron had us sign contracts and place a deposit with the solicitors in June so we’d be ready to exchange. We thought things were beginning to move. But we’ve been in a state of flux since.”

Steve f inal ly found rented accommodat ion dur ing the