A HOMEOWNER who replaced a rear window on his new home to comply with building regulations was shocked to get a letter from Fenland District Council threatening legal action for not completing the work.

Senior Conservation Officer Martyn Kendall and Planning Compliance Officer Gavin Taylor visited Geoff Halbert’s home in New Road, Chatteris to hand-deliver an enforcement notice last week.

A council spokesman admitted afterwards that “by mistake and in haste they put the envelope with the enforcement notice through the door before they had looked around the back to see if the work had been done.”

As a result a shocked Mr Halbert received a threat of prosecution if he did not remove the double-glazed window and put in a 2x6 single-glazed pane of traditional timber construction - even though he had complied with the rules.

“I think that the council does not know what it is doing,” he said. “It is like shutting the gate after the horse has bolted.”

The 49-year-old, who says it will take him approximately three years to complete the renovation works on the property, says he now plans to simply ignore the notice.

Mr Kendall has also written to apologise.