Tenants slam flat repairs

SCAFFOLDING in place; repair work at the Astoria, in Cardinal Street

Housing group apologises
ANGRY residents of a town-centre apartment block have hit out at being moved from “pillar to post” while repair work is carried out.

People renting apartments at the Astoria in Cardinal Street, Oldham, have been forced to pack up and move into other flats in the block at short notice after safety concerns.

Issues with structural work, ceilings, wiring and fire alarms were reported to building operators Great Places Housing Group, with urgent repairs demanding many flats be emptied for work to start.

Resident Miranda Meadowcroft said: “The rent we pay for the flats at the Astoria is not cheap but the service we have received has been.”

She added that residents had been passed from “pillar to post” and moved around the building while repair work was undertaken, suffering through three months of inconvenience.

The Astoria — 48 two-bedroom affordable rent apartments — was described as a “cutting edge” housing development when it was built by Artisan in 2009.

Matthew Harrison, chief executive of Great Places Housing Group, said: “We sympathise with residents who have been very patient with us while repair work is carried out and we apologise for the inconvenience this has caused them.

“Staff have been doing all they can to make the process of moving in and out as easy as possible.”