‘Extremely frustrated’: Louth council tenants waiting months for repairs
A Drogheda councillor has criticised ongoing delays in maintenance works on local authority homes, saying tenants are being left in the dark about when essential repairs will be completed.
Cllr. James Byrne told a recent council meeting that he has received “a number of complaints” from residents across the town regarding long waits for maintenance work. While a first visit from a maintenance team often “offers real hope” to tenants, he said many then have no idea when the actual repairs will begin.
“There needs to be more clarity around when maintenance requests will be completed,” Cllr. Byrne said.
His concerns were echoed by Cllr. Declan Power, who said councillors frequently hear from tenants who feel they are not receiving timely updates or responses from the council. Many residents are “extremely frustrated,” he added, noting that some cases have been ongoing “for months.”
Responding to the concerns, Senior Executive Officer Declan Grimes said the volume of work faced by the housing maintenance team is significant, with almost 12,000 maintenance requests handled in the last year alone. Demand typically spikes during the winter months, particularly with leaks and heating issues.
Mr. Grimes said the council plans to roll out a series of workshops for tenants and councillors through the estate management team, aimed at improving communication and ensuring people are kept "in the loop” throughout the maintenance process.
He noted that Drogheda is “very lucky” to have its own direct labour crew with tradespeople available to respond quickly to many calls. However, delays can occur when outside contractors — such as electricians — must be brought in. This is particularly common when dealing with boiler repairs, he said.
“It is trying to manage tenants’ expectations,” Mr. Grimes told councillors. “We are trying to prioritise requests from older people and people with disabilities.”
He encouraged councillors to bring any individual cases of concern directly to him.
“But it is about managing resources,” he added, “and responding to calls as soon as we can.”