Published: Thursday, 27th November, 2008 10:10
Villagers trapped in rotting houses
By Ally McRoberts
Comments (0)
Print Article
RESIDENTS in “defective” houses in Crombie are having to put towels on their window sills to soak up the water seeping into their cold and wet homes.
Damp blackens the walls and icy draughts find their way in but no-one wants to fund the £2 million repairs for the 50 Unitroy houses – the design of which has been condemned.
Sheila Roxburgh, of Central Road, pleaded, “I would just like to be warm and dry in a house that we pay for.
“I’m agoraphobic so I can’t go out but to stay warm I have to go to bed and stay under the covers.
“It’s ridiculous I have to do that in my own house.”
She added, “It’s horrendous. Both children’s bedrooms are damp right across the outside wall and it’s so cold upstairs.
“I had to get a dehumidifier and I’ve got towels on the window sills that I have to change every day.
“There are big black damp patches on the walls and draughts all the time.”
The 50 homes were declared “statutory defective” and Dunfermline and West Fife MP Willie Rennie said leaving them as they were was “unacceptable”.
The homes are in Central Road, Farm Road and Main Street, 33 are owned by Fife Housing Association and 17 are privately owned.
Mr Rennie urged the Scottish Government to come up with the cash now to renovate or demolish and rebuild the properties.
Fife Housing Association won’t fund a repair bill of £40,000 per house as it wouldn’t be a good investment considering the houses will last for just another 15 to 20 years.
However, the ‘life expectancy’ of the homes was longer than expected which means the Government could delay any action and funding.
Caught in the middle are the residents.
Mrs Roxburgh said, “I’ve caught bronchitis every winter for the last six years now and I don’t know if it’s down to the housing conditions but they certainly haven’t helped.”
Ann Robinson, who also lives in Central Road, said, “Inside, the damp is just ridiculous and when the wind blows it comes in the walls and out through our sockets.
“It even lifts the lino and the carpet up and it costs me £40 a week to heat the house.”
Alex McArthur, who stays in the same street, said, “The condensation runs down the windows like a waterfall.
“They tell you all this stuff like opening vents but I used to be in the building trade and condensation is when cold meets hot.
“There’s a draught blows right through from the windows and there’s a gap at the back door too.
“It’s bloody freezing.”
Mrs Robinson, who lives with her disabled son and husband, said, “It’s a big chunk of the village, everyone is highly anxious and there have been many sleepless nights wondering what’s going to happen.”
The three tenants said Fife Housing hadn’t spent much money on the Crombie homes and questioned why they were still paying “full rent”.
Mrs Robinson said most of the locals wanted the houses renovated but she wants them demolished and wants the government to foot the bill.
Fife Housing Association’s chief executive, Bryan Hay, said, “The main issue is these houses are unsatisfactory and unsuitable and there’s no plan in place for either their improvement or demolition and rebuild.
“Since 1997 what we’ve been doing, and I think we’ve been honest about it, is care and maintenance.
“If a major component has failed we’ve gone in and replaced it but the houses have not been subject to a big improvement programme because, until recently, our expectation was they were to be replaced.
“When we bought the houses everyone – residents, ourselves and the government – all expected these were short life properties as they were identified as statutory defective in 1987.
“That’s the basis we bought the houses on, it’s a headache for everyone and I have every sympathy with the residents as the last thing we need is uncertainty and it’s exactly what we have.”
Del.icio.us
Digg
Facebook
Reddit
Stumbleupon
'Too sexy' shop finally opens in Dunfermline