East Lothian Courier | News | Long battle over ‘shoddy’ repairs

Thursday, 20th November, 2008

Published: Thursday, 17th April, 2008 08:00

Long battle over ‘shoddy’ repairs

A TRANENT pensioner has slammed East Lothian Council for failing to heed his repeated complaints over “scandalously shoddy” repairs carried out to the block of flats where he lives.

David Hogg, 69, of Coronation Place, said he had been locked in a four-year battle with the local authority over “shoddy, poor quality” external repairs, totalling £49,000, that were carried out to the block of flats where he and others live.

The renovation work included retiling an outer stairwell, installing flashings to prevent leaks, piping and laying asphalt.

When residents complained that the work, carried out by a council-hired contractor, was unsatisfactory, further repairs were done last July – yet Mr Hogg insisted that the end result was still a “botched-up job”.

The retired Scottish Power worker, told the Courier: “I’m at my wits end. I have appealed to councillors, the MSP and the Ombudsman but they all say they can’t do anything.

“This work has degraded the building and poses a risk to the people who live here and no one seems to care.”

An East Lothian Council spokeswoman replied: “We are not going to enter into a debate with Mr Hogg – an independent surveyor assessed the work last year and ruled that it was satisfactory.

“Mr Hogg has been visited at his home, which is not a council property, and council representatives have spoken and written to him several times about this matter.”

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