NIHE's Freeze-Thaw Response In Focus

The NI Housing Executive (NIHE) has some serious questions to answer about the impact of the recent thaw on the properties it owns.

That's according to Strangford DUP MLA Simon Hamilton who is Chair of the Assembly's Social Development Committee who said that the fact that nearly one quarter of all of the NIHE's stock has had repair orders raised as a direct result of the thaw is extremely worrying.

Commenting, Simon Hamilton said: "I think everyone understands that the scale of the problems created by the recent thaw put extreme pressure upon organisations like the Northern Ireland Housing Executive.

"As a result of this, we now face a £10m repair bill for which there is no budget and it is my intention to raise these issues at our next Social Development Committee meeting and if it is the Committee's wish, to quiz the Housing Executive directly about them," the MLA said.

"Whilst I would resolutely praise the efforts of NIHE staff and others on the ground who have worked assiduously to try to help people stricken by the effects of the thaw, it is only right and proper that elected representatives ask questions about the nature of the Housing Executive's response to this crisis," he said, noting that "an amazing 22,000 of its approximately 90,000 properties required repairs".

"That almost a quarter of all NIHE stock were affected by the thaw is a truly staggering statistic that seems completely and utterly out of sync with any other tenure type begging questions about why Housing Executive homes were more susceptible to broken heating systems, burst pipes and collapsed ceilings, and what the Housing Executive did to prepare tenants and their properties in advance of the thaw."

Meanwhile, the Sinn Fein Housing Spokesperson has cautiously welcomed assurances from NIHE that they have plans in place to deal with another period adverse weather.

After Sinn Fein representatives met senior members of the Housing Executive staff including the Chief Executive and Chairman, Fra McCann said: "Representatives from across Belfast were very eager to relay the concerns and issues facing their constituents, many of whom are still awaiting urgent repairs and unsure about compensation and reimbursement.

"We are eager to see a review of what did and didn't happen over the period of adverse weather; lessons must be learnt by both the Housing Executive and Department of Social Development.

"As we emerge from this period many tenants are now unsure about where they stand in relation to compensation and reimbursement as a result of both damage to their properties and having to pay out of their own pockets for electric blow heaters left to heat their homes," he said.

"We will be consulting with our party colleagues on the Executive as well lobbying the Housing Minister, to ensure that effective measures are put in place to support those many citizens affected.

"We also took the opportunity to raise the serious problems in relation to communication faced by both members of the public and elected representatives.

"The Housing Executive has assured us that lessons in relation to this have indeed by learnt and it is something we will be monitoring closely."

(BMcC/GK)