Worried NI Housing Executive tenants in Lisburn reassured maintenance work 'will now not be cancelled'

The NIHE had listed the council area to lose its planned housing projects due to the “mutual termination of 10 contracts” for maintenance tendered in 2020 worth millions of pounds.In a letter (Oct 23) from Executive CEO, Grainia Long to Belfast councillors, seen by the local democracy service this week, 3,600 homes were to be affected including those in LCCC.

Only two contractors in Ards and North Down and South Down confirmed they were able to continue to work within the agree costs. Lisburn South Alderman, Paul Porter (DUP) reacted to “ease any worried constituents”.

He said: “When I received the information, which stated the LCCC area would now be affected by the NIHE contract losses, I was immediately concerned for the local tenants.

“Many people have been on long waiting lists already for essential work to be carried out in their homes.

“There are homes requiring electrical wiring, double glazing and new bathrooms, who all feared that this work would now not be carried out.

“I contacted the NIHE district manager and I am glad to say I have now had it confirmed that the LCCC area will not be affected and that planned work will be carried out.”Ms Long, in a previous letter (Oct 12) to LCCC chief executive David Burns, accepted that local residents have faced “serious service delivery problems” in Lisburn and Castlereagh after their ‘response maintenance and planned scheme’ contractor JMC Mechanical Services went in to administration in 2021 with the loss of 140 jobs.

Regarding ‘planned maintenance’, Ms Long’s letter added that the Executive has appointed two new contractors. But she said that it is “our intention to recommence our planned scheme work in the area within three months”.

The local democracy service contacted the Northern Ireland Housing Executive with a spokesperson confirming that the LCCC was one of only three areas in Northern Ireland that would not be affected by the loss of the maintenance contracts.