Tenants sceptical about more promises by Home

The Harrow Observer has previously reported on the residents of Harrow's largest affordable housing estate fuming about terrible living conditions.

Complaints include cramped accommodation, the shoddy condition of old and new properties, and the four-year delay in the £100m estate rebuilding programme.

Tenants wrote to housing company Home in October 2007 with their concerns but nothing was done. Now Gareth Thomas, Labour MP for Harrow West, has met Tracey Lees, managing director of Home (South), and the housing association has pledged to act.

Mrs Lees said: "We were able to discuss many of the issues that have been reported in the local press, specifically the delays in our regeneration programme and concerns about the conditions of some existing homes.

"My staff are currently working with our contractors InSpace, architects and the London Borough of Harrow to do all we can to accelerate the rate at which we can build new homes.

"The condition of the existing homes at Rayners Lane has deteriorated at a more rapid rate than we envisaged and we have recently carried out a survey of the existing homes so that we can identify any repairs work that may be required."

But tenants are sceptical, even after the promises made by the housing association to Mr Thomas at the end of last month.

Margaret Opare, chairwoman of Rayners Lane Estate Tenants' and

Residents' Association, said: "Tracey Lees' comments are far removed from reality. When tenants and residents complain to Home, they do not do anything.

"During meetings, they would promise to fix things but it's all promises and nothing has been done at all.

"Everybody is angry and discontented with the services they are providing. All we want is for Home to listen, respect people and do their jobs well."

Councillor Chris Noyce (Lib Dem), who represented the estate's residents for 16 years and oversaw the transfer of their tenancies from the council to Home in 2002, said: "It was clear that Home won the tender to become the landlord on the basis of very clear promises.

"Six years on, the perception is that they have defaulted on those promises.

"It's the duty of Home to live up to those promises and deliver the new homes."