Rumours among Herefordshire Housing tenants that properties will be “left to rot” because of the city’s regeneration plans have been firmly refuted by the group’s chief executive Peter Brown.
On the contrary, he says, while regeneration is on the cards, a team of 50 tradesmen are regularly deployed to carry out repairs to keep Herefordshire Housing’s stock of 5,300 properties ticking over.
A few tenants in the Belmont area have complained to the Journal that their calls for repairs have gone unanswered, claiming that the properties will be demolished in the next few years.
However Mr Brown insisted that Herefordshire Housing’s policy of responding to calls for repairs to be carried out remained in place.
“Blocks of flats put up in the 1960s were given a 30-year life but they’re 50 years old now,” he said.
There would be changes in the future he explained, though tenants could expect their homes to be kept in reasonable order in the meantime.
“We honestly believe we provide a responsive service,” says the chief executive. Calls from tenants, plus 900 social alarm monitors go through to the Hereford headquarters where they are swiftly handled.
“If a boiler stops working, it’s our problem, blocked toilets, whatever the problem we have someone out there within two hours,” he says.
A recent survey revealed that levels of satisfaction at Herefordshire Housing were the highest among similar sized housing associations in the region. Overall, ratings sit at 84 per cent which places them firmly at the top of the regional league table.
“We work with the community to try and reach out to different groups,” he explained.
Walkabouts are regularly conducted in various areas to determine local problems, he said. Earlier this week, a drop-in centre, Women@no14 opened at The Ovals in Belmont which is owned by Herefordshire Housing.
