A HOUSING association has started work on a £1.2million programme which will see hundreds of its existing properties receiving upgrades.

Durham Aged Mineworkers’ Homes Association (DAMHA) has started its 2022/23 planned maintenance programme which will see hundreds of homes across the area having some sort of work undertaken.

This will include:

• The installation of new, UPVC double-glazed windows at 50 homes;

• Boiler and/or fires replaced at 96 homes;

• 200 new doors fitted at around 110 properties;

• New kitchens fitted at 62 homes.

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The works will be carried out in areas such as Durham, Sunderland, and Seaham.

Among the residents who have already benefited from this work include people living in the aged miners’ homes in West Cornforth. They had new windows and doors fitted.

Tom Dunn, who is the Residents’ Representatives for the homes at West Cornforth, said: “The old windows used to let the draught in, so everyone is really happy with the new ones.

“DAMHA made sure we were involved throughout the process, and they even changed the style of doors when we requested because we wanted ones which were frosted, and not clear, for security reasons.”

DAMHA’s rolling planned maintenance programme is required to ensure its properties, some of which are 100 years old, meet national housing standards.

DAMHA Chief Executive Paul Mullis said: “During the past couple of years, due to the pandemic, it has been difficult to obtain certain materials due to supply and demand issues, but we have continued to carry out work to improve our existing homes despite of this.

“Our latest programme is one of the biggest in terms of investment, and it will benefit hundreds of residents living in our homes.

“Even though we continue to build high quality, modern new homes, we never lose sight of the fact that the vast majority of our housing stock is much older, so it’s important that we continually carry out modernisation work.

“This is particularly vital when it helps to improve the energy efficiency of our homes in these times of high energy prices and overall high cost of living.”

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