However, MKFM has found 'closed cases' listed by the housing and social care provider, Mears, despite residents waiting for repairs.
In March 2020, MKFM launched an investigation following claims from listeners about unresolved problems with council-owned properties.
We had a discussion with the Leader of Milton Keynes Council, Cllr Pete Marland, about the repeated allegations and subsequently invited people to share their issues, which we would then report directly to the Leader.
MKFM took the action because the topic was repeatedly brought up in our monthly on-air interviews with Cllr Marland.
Despite there being thousands of council homes in Milton Keynes, MKFM was surprised to only be notified of 38 cases where residents were unsatisfied with the Council and the contractor Mears.
These problems were varied in severity and nature, ranging from problems with mould and leaking toilets, to boilers not working properly and damaged front porches.
Many of these residents expressed that the problems had been ongoing for long periods of time, even up to ten years in some cases. Most of the respondents also alleged that they had contacted Milton Keynes Council and Mears but there had been "no action".
As a result, MKFM established that the reporting process may need reviewing to ensure repairs can be made in a timely manner, ultimately being more cost-effective in the long run.
As of mid-June 2021, this investigation led to 23 cases being marked as 'closed'.
MKFM spoke to several council tenants on the 'closed' list that all claimed that the key repairs had not been complete, with one woman saying that in her case, a temporary repair was done and the case was "still open in her eyes".
Upon enquiring, Mears stated that this spreadsheet was "not reflective" of the company's live systems and was simply used as an "update document".
Mears says that these 23 properties on the 'closed' list have either had their repairs complete, or have been passed to the relevant teams (or contractors) for the replacement of "larger elements" including kitchens, windows, and bathrooms.
One council tenant explained to MKFM how he had been living in a drought-ridden property for four years due to broken window seals. He claimed that he had to put £20 a week on the gas meter to keep his 20-month baby warm.
A couple of months ago, the tenant had surveyors round which reportedly informed him that he needed new windows. Nothing has yet been done, but Mears says the residents on the 'closed list' - just like this man - will be contacted "within days" with an update on how the planned works will progress.
"We will also assess all required works on a needs basis, considering any vulnerabilities of the associated residents," a spokesperson for Mears added.
Aside from these 23 cases that have been 'closed', another 15 remain open as they have not been signed off to the relevant repairs departments yet.
Mears has been investigating each of these cases, working with their teams and the residents to arrange site visits and decide the best course of action.
Upon analysing the results of this investigation, MKFM has discovered that generally, the council-owned properties are of a higher standard than some other areas across the country - including the Eastfields Estate in South London, where the mould makes it "difficult to breathe" and rat infestations are rife.
Milton Keynes Council and Mears have told MKFM that they want to ensure houses are up to standard and that all works are captured and are being investigated as per the "appropriate process".
Cllr Pete Marland said: “I’d like to thank MKFM for their work in bringing these cases to my attention so that we could work on getting the issues sorted.
"MK Council has committed to spending £165m over the next few years on planned maintenance to improve our council homes after 40 years of neglect.
"Obviously, we want to make sure that our repairs and maintenance programme that spends tenants money is being done efficiently and provides value for money, and we’ll be working with our residents and with our provider Mears over the next few months to review the service and make any improvements that are needed.”
Council tenants that wish to ask any specific questions concerning their property can contact either the assigned supervisor, Kelly Tyler, or contact Mears locally on 0330 123 2522.
Do you have any problems with your council property that you would like to share with us? Tell us more by filling out this form.
