Improvements planned for 'neglected' homes

Nottingham City Council has promised improvements to a housing estate where tenants say their homes have been "neglected" for years.

In January, residents on the Eddleston Drive estate in Clifton told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) about rotting window frames, peeling render, damp and poor insulation.

The Regulator of Social Housing (RSH) said it had found serious quality and management failings with the council's properties, and the authority was awarded the second-lowest standards rating possible as a result.

A council spokesperson said: "Improvement works are planned for the Eddleston Drive estate, including external repairs to address the condition of the walls."

Residents told the LDRS on Monday that some issues had not been fixed.

Breda Taylor said mould had now been removed from her bedroom, but damp was still a problem in her kitchen and bathroom due to peeling render, rotting woodwork, and poor tap fittings.

"They have fixed the damp in my bedroom," she said.

"But they have put some taps on my bathroom sink that are the wrong size, so it is flooding and making more damp.

"They promised I would get plastic window frames, but that still hasn't been done, so I've got mould in my kitchen.

"It would not be half as bad if we hadn't been neglected."

Ward councillor Kevin Clarke, leader of the opposition Nottingham Independents and Independent Group, said: "I've been on about this for years now. In my opinion, it is long overdue.

"In all honesty I think they need knocking down and rebuilding. The design of these properties, the prefab, is full of trouble.

"They are not weatherproof and they are going to be an everlasting problem."

The council now manages its housing services itself, after it brought them back under its control in April 2023 from arms-length management organisation Nottingham City Homes.

The council spokesman added: "We understand the concerns raised by residents on the Eddleston Drive estate and remain committed to improving the condition and energy efficiency of our council homes across the city."

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