Homing in on regular problems

THE week just wouldn’t be right without a call to The Gateshead Housing Company.

Tenants are regularly telling me how the housing provider lets them down and asking me to do my bit.

This time it was the turn of Sheila Bell, of Rowlands Gill, who told me how a long-standing problem with damp, first reported by the previous tenant, was still not sorted.

Plaster had come off a wall containing a fireplace and, although it had been repaired, more repairs to the roof were needed.

She said: “I don’t think it is good enough as my health is suffering and they have not sorted the roof out. Please try to help me.”

Sheila said she suffers from asthma and work on the wall, exposing wet plaster, had aggravated her condition.

I asked housing bosses what was going on.

A spokeswoman said: “We have completed repair works at Trevor and Denise Leonard from Rowlands Gill the property in agreement with the customer and further work is arranged.

“Following this recent enquiry, we have made contact with the customer and will keep them informed throughout the remainder of the works.”

Sheila tells me that preliminary work has been done to the roof in preparation for the removal of the chimney stack.

Last week I helped Trevor Leonard, also of Rowlands Gill, in his complaint about damp in much of the bungalow he had recently moved into.

Trevor said: “The ball is rolling on repairs.”

Kris Drummond, of Lobley Hill, and Nathan Carr, of Low Fell, also complained about the condition of their homes.

In each case the housing provider said new work to put things right would be carried out.