Demand for payment thrown out

A contractor’s demand for payment for works done on the beleaguered Toryglen home improvement project have been thrown out by an independent body.

E.ON - which was contracted by Thistle Housing Association to make 608 homes more energy efficient - had demanded the housing authority hand over payment for works done to date.

But, with repeated accusations that the work has not been up to standard, Thistle Housing Association believed payment should not be made until those snagging issues had been resolved.

The Chartered Association of Quantity Surveyors appointed experts to adjudicate the matter and found in favour of Thistle.

A spokeswoman for the association said: “E.ON appointed an independent adjudicator to determine whether payment for the major works at Toryglen was due.

“Working on behalf of our residents, this is something we strongly contested given the ongoing schedule and snagging work still to be completed.

“We are thrilled that the outcome of this issue has ruled in our favour.

“We have a capped-price contract with E.ON and will continue to work within the parameters of this agreement.

“Our quantity surveyor will be monitoring the works on an ongoing basis. We are striving to secure a satisfactory conclusion to what has been a very challenging contract for all parties.”

E.ON was contracted to replace roofs, windows and render on properties in the Toryglen area, as well as install insulation, in a bid to make homes warmer and cheaper to heat.

Work began on the £8 million project in June 2016 and was scheduled to take 12 weeks.

It is now 302 days past the original completion date.

A spokesman for E.ON said the company would not comment on the adjudication, but said the entire scheme should be completed in October.

A statement issued on behalf of some residents said: “This judgement surely has to be good news for Toryglen residents. It can only enhance their legitimate claim for suitable compensation for 16 months of hell, but will it get the job done and done correctly?”

It added: “No matter how this is looked at, Thistle Housing is complicit in this sad affair as their management has never been able to stay on top of the programme and has clearly been bullied by E.ON, their chosen contractor, since day one.”

Good news for Toryglen residents