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Residents get £200,000 to improve homes
A HOUSING survey has enabled residents to access £200,000 of funding to bring their homes up to the national standard.
Private houses in Eldon Lane, near Bishop Auckland, County Durham, were found to be below the standard threshold for decent homes.
Some were inadequately insulated and had no central heating while others were using outside toilets.
The results of the survey, carried out by Wear Valley District Council, has enabled residents to use central government money set aside when Eldon Lane was given status as a regeneration area in 1999.
The cash boost will be used for repairs and updates to the properties.
Richard Roddam, housing strategy manager with Wear Valley District Council said: "The government regeneration funding is aimed at improving the area in general.
"With it we can do major repairs, remove any hazards and improve any sub-standard conditions.
"Some homes don't even have central heating, it's shocking to think that that still happens."
A total of 2,800 private homes across the district will be offered the survey with 365 so far carried out.
Mr Roddam says more funding or individual repair grants could be made available and encouraged as many residents as possible to take part.
He said: "The survey will gather information that can be used to direct resources and develop such schemes as free loft insulation, cavity wall insulation and housing repair grants.
"We will also use this information as a case to ask the government for more money to be allocated to the area."
Meanwhile Dale and Valley Homes will start work on Watergate Estate in Crook to bring council-owned homes up to the national standard.
Jack Hurst, assistant director at Dale and Valley, said homes will be assessed on an individual basis. "The works have commenced in Ennerdale Drive as a pilot scheme and will set the standard for the rest of the estate," she said.
"The work will consist of new bathrooms, kitchens, electrical rewires, and heating."
All other properties on Watergate Estate will be improved before September 2009.
9:00pm Saturday 3rd May 2008
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CommentPosted by: unhappy w.v.d.c resident, watergate estate on 3:03pm Mon 5 May 08
i have been sending message to this council web site,with no answer and now i know why.we have been fogged off again our area was to have windows and doors finished to the rest of the homes but instead they going round doing other work to the houses that have already got new doors and windows.still have copy of letter stating that they would be starting this April to finish windows. dont beleive all they say cos the cant keep dates they just fob ye off all the time. this as been going on for over a year when they first started in watergate estate.
i have been sending message to this council web site,with no answer and now i know why.we have been fogged off again our area was to have windows and doors finished to the rest of the homes but instead they going round doing other work to the houses that have already got new doors and windows.still have copy of letter stating that they would be starting this April to finish windows. dont beleive all they say cos the cant keep dates they just fob ye off all the time. this as been going on for over a year when they first started in watergate estate.
Posted by: Angry, darlington on 7:47pm Mon 5 May 08
Same thing in Darlington. DBC carried out a survey in 2006 said we were down for new Kitchen, bathroom, windows, rewire, insulation etc to bring our home to euro standards, They just about condemed our kitchen as it has a grand total of a sink unit and 1 floor cupboard ? they installed a new ISAR boiler which hasnt worked properly since the day they put it in? then turned up at Christmas (2 days before xmas day?) in 2007 and started painting the house including windows? funny new windows DBC? Your right mate dont believe all the council say till they actually do the planned work. But they have got till 2010 to complete it, by then there will be something else more important to spend money on like new roads that go overspend or let off s on 106 agreements ?
Same thing in Darlington. DBC carried out a survey in 2006 said we were down for new Kitchen, bathroom, windows, rewire, insulation etc to bring our home to euro standards, They just about condemed our kitchen as it has a grand total of a sink unit and 1 floor cupboard ? they installed a new ISAR boiler which hasnt worked properly since the day they put it in? then turned up at Christmas (2 days before xmas day?) in 2007 and started painting the house including windows? funny new windows DBC? Your right mate dont believe all the council say till they actually do the planned work. But they have got till 2010 to complete it, by then there will be something else more important to spend money on like new roads that go overspend or let off s on 106 agreements ?
Posted by: Tax Payer, Darlington on 9:12pm Mon 5 May 08
Poor Angry, it must be awfaul for the council to be offering boilers and windows etc.
I unfortunately have the opposite problem. Having worked all my life, having the following bills, an £830 mortgage, £100 G&E bills, [bold]£90 COUNCIL TAX[/bold] , £280 fuel for getting to work, they expect me to pay for any improvements myself. It think its disgusting!!
Poor Angry, it must be awfaul for the council to be offering boilers and windows etc.
I unfortunately have the opposite problem. Having worked all my life, having the following bills, an £830 mortgage, £100 G&E bills,
£90 COUNCIL TAX , £280 fuel for getting to work, they expect me to pay for any improvements myself. It think its disgusting!!
Posted by: north east resident, north east on 3:20pm Tue 6 May 08
wow a £830 mortgage must have a good job then if you can afford a mortgage for that amount.or are you one of these rich people who wont part with out.i got a good job but cud,nt and wud,nt put my self into debt with a mortgage that high.sell house get smaller one then you would,nt be twisting bout ye bills.
wow a £830 mortgage must have a good job then if you can afford a mortgage for that amount.or are you one of these rich people who wont part with out.i got a good job but cud,nt and wud,nt put my self into debt with a mortgage that high.sell house get smaller one then you would,nt be twisting bout ye bills.
Posted by: Tax Payer, Darlington on 9:26pm Tue 6 May 08
Thanks for your comments Illiterate One. No doubt you are a model tennant who takes pride in 'your' home.
Yes I have got a good job thanks and as you may have noticed that the [bold]£90 Council Tax[/bold] was in bold, not the mortgage.
That is the bit i resent, especially when it is wasted on ungrateful whingers and Travelling vandals!!
Can I suggest some basic grammer.
Thanks for your comments Illiterate One. No doubt you are a model tennant who takes pride in 'your' home.
Yes I have got a good job thanks and as you may have noticed that the
£90 Council Tax was in bold, not the mortgage.
That is the bit i resent, especially when it is wasted on ungrateful whingers and Travelling vandals!!
Can I suggest some basic grammer.
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