A £1.5MILLION scheme to insulate homes in Musselburgh has led to claims of botched workmanship and damaged properties.

One in three residents who are involved in the scheme have now registered with a protest group demanding action by East Lothian Council to repair the damage caused by the work.

Almost all of those who have reported problems claim their properties have been left with cracks around windows and doors.

More than half say their homes have suffered additional damage, with further claims the external wall insulation work has left their walls with cracks and bulges in them.

An estimated 160 houses in the Wimpey estate signed up to the project, which is subsidised by the Scottish Government-funded Home Energy Efficiency Programme.

Home owners were offered the work for a fee of £500, while council tenants received it free of charge.

East Lothian Council is overseeing the work and brought in contractors to carry it out.

However, the number of complaints about the standard of the work reached such a point that residents in the estate joined forces to set up the Wimpey Home Owners/Tenants group (WHOT).

Elaine La Roche is one resident who helped found the group.

She said: “We have more than 60 residents now registered with us. Many had tried to complain individually about the standard of work and got nowhere.

“We realised that if we joined forces and spoke with one voice we would have a better chance of making the council take action. They brought in the contractors and they are, in our view, mainly responsible. We are simply asking that the work is carried out to a reasonable standard.”

Fellow WHOT member Lorraine Dilworth, who lives on Macbeth Moir Road, added: “When we signed up for the scheme we were told everything would be done in two weeks. Instead, we have been left with horrendous problems and they have devalued our properties.

“We have been on to the council, but they just want to stay out of it. As far as we are concerned they were the ones given the money, they employed the contractors and they are responsible.”

WHOT carried out a survey of residents and is leafleting streets to find other homes affected by the work.

The survey saw 203 issues raised by residents, with almost all of them pointing to cracks around windows and doors. Most properties affected are on Delta Drive, Delta View, and Macbeth Moir Road, but WHOT is appealing for anyone affected to register with them by emailing them at whot2015@outlook.com or call a WHOT representative on 07922 080926 Monday to Thursday, 6pm to 8pm.

A spokesperson for East Lothian Council said: “We are aware of some concerns about these works and are investigating these further.”