ROTTING wooden windows, mould, ceiling cracks and inadequate heating are part of a litany of problems facing Eildon Housing tenants in Broughton.

Last week, all three Tweeddale West councillors – Viv Thomson, Eric Small and Drummond Begg – put party differences aside to listen to residents’ grievances at Hawdene.

And the tenants told elected members that although housing association officers had met them almost a year ago and promised solutions, action has yet to be taken.

Resident Jim McBeth said: “We have been having meetings with Eildon for nearly 18 months.

“In that time nothing has been done.

“These houses are 20 years old and in their tenancy package it lists various things which need to be done.

“The windows and doors are wooden. They were painted a couple of years ago and the painters said they had been told not to prep, just put paint on over rotten wood. The wood broke away in my hand.

“The rent is £460 a month – for a house that is not wind or waterproof, without proper heating.”

The residents say that a year ago Eildon agreed in writing that the heating systems in the houses are overdue for replacement.

Total costs to upgrade each home were estimated at £30,000 and the housing association was to seek 50 per cent matched funding from Net Zero Funding for air source heat pumps, battery storage and solar panels.

Mr McBeth added: “In 2021 we got a survey done for air source heating and we thought great, something is going to be done about the heating.

“Why would they send surveyors and not put in the heating?

“We have not had heating in our house for two years.

“It is the old storage heaters and it’s been repaired with scavenged parts from other heaters.

“They last a week and break down again.

“All I am asking for is heating for my house.We are going to go into another winter without proper heating.”

Another resident, who preferred not to give their name, said: “I have two children. My partner is asthmatic and we have got mould in every single bedroom.

“My kids are young they don’t want to be exposed to mould spores.

“Our maintenance officer said there had not been the right insulation in the eaves when the house was built.

“A lot of folk won’t speak up because they are scared about being evicted.”

SNP member Viv Thomson said the housing association was “falling short”.

She said: “For us it is also about getting the portfolio holder, the person in Scottish Borders Council, who is responsible for housing and having a chat with them about the council’s expectations for housing associations.

“At a service level agreement, what is it we are asking them to provide?

“Certainly they are falling short.”

Eildon Housing said it was working with the residents in Broughton and will update the current heating systems in the homes.

A spokesperson said “We are committed to working with our tenants at Hawdene to resolve the issues they have identified.

“We have met with them collectively in August, September and November of last year.

“Since then, we have taken a number of actions to follow up.

“We take reports of dampness and mould very seriously and have a clear process to investigate and eradicate where we are aware of these issues.

“When it is unclear what is causing any reported damp and mould we instruct an independent survey to be undertaken and act on its recommendations.

“The process for painting timber doors and windows is very clear.

“Where a contractor identifies any areas for repairs, they are required to report that to us, and we will instruct a joiner to repair the item and then the paint work to be completed.

“During last year’s meetings we discussed the opportunity to apply for external funding for these homes in order to complete more significant ‘retrofit’ on the properties at an early stage.

“We developed proposals to install solar PV panels and battery storage, as well as replace the windows and heating systems in these homes.

“The proposals would use a combination of Eildon funds from rental income, alongside Scottish Government resources to facilitate the progressive ‘decarbonisation’ of Scottish housing stock to help meet national climate change obligations.

“This bid was unsuccessful. We are writing to Hawdene tenants to inform them of revised plans to update and upgrade the current heating systems in these homes later this year, and then plan future ‘retrofit’ activity as soon as possible.

“We encourage all tenants to report any repair issues to us, including heating systems not working, and we respond to these issues and resolve them as quickly as possible.

“We would like to reassure tenants that they should have no fear of raising issues and concerns with us, and certainly that they are under no risk of eviction in doing so.

“Tenants of social housing in Scotland have Secure Tenancy Agreements which give them significant protections in law.”