A residents’ group is flagging up issues faced by Willaston tenants who say refurbishment works are affecting them.

Willaston Community Association, chaired by Manx Labour Party member Peter Washington, has raised concerns about the impact renovations by Douglas Council are having on them.

The refurbishment includes external work to eliminate damp problems and the installation of new kitchens.

Phase 1 began in September 2013. Phases 8 and 9 are in progress with 275 homes out of 730 being completed. The whole estate is expected to be finished in 2025.

It takes about 20 weeks on average to complete each home, the council said.

Mr Washington (pictured), who is standing as a candidate for Douglas North in the April local authority elections, believes the work is taking too long, which is ’unacceptable’ for tenants.

’Part of the refurbishment is causing a lot of distress,’ the Viking Road resident said.

’People have been without a kitchen for about a month and it has been a huge economical issue for them, especially for single mothers.

’They’ve been having to eat out or get take-aways and then wash their dishes in the bath.

’It’s affecting tenants’ mental health and some are now using the Foodbank.

’Contractors have been using their electric, which tenants pay for.

’They’ve also been left with contractors’ mess to clean up.’

And he said some tenants were ’stressed’ with moving out temporarily.

The group was set up to discuss issues with councillors being invited.

’There is no feeling of the damage that it’s doing,’ Mr Washington said.

About 70 people attend the group’s monthly meetings.

’There is a big negative towards the council housing tenant because they haven’t got a voice.’

Councillor Claire Wells, chairman of the council’s housing committee, said: ’Kitchen refurbishments usually take three weeks to complete and although inconvenient, tenants receive a brand new £8,500 fully fitted modern kitchen complete with decoration and flooring.

’Contractors do sometimes use tenants’ electricity to power their small handheld tools and in a few cases to power dehumidifiers to speed up drying times.’

She said electric mini cookers are offered during the work and having to wash dishes in bathrooms ’can be inconvenient, but is only required for a short time while the sink unit is being replaced’.

To her knowledge, contractors clean up after themselves as required by the contract, she said.

Removal arrangements and costs involved in moving tenants to temporary accommodation and while external works are being carried out is being paid for by the council to ’minimise stress to the tenants’, she said.

A full-time tenant liaison assistant is employed to communicate with tenant concerns and issues and formal complaints are dealt with in accordance with the council’s complaints procedures.

The Willaston Community Association is meeting at Willaston School at 7pm on Wednesday (February 26).