Wexford resident waiting three years for new front door as council staff told to ‘maintain and repair’ before replacing

By Simon Bourke, Wexford People

Social housing tenants in Co Wexford are waiting up to three years for their doors to be replaced as council staff are being advised to “maintain and repair” as a priority. Bringing some of the cases he had encountered to the December meeting of Wexford County Council (WCC), Councillor John Dwyer said some of his constituents were waiting an unreasonable length of time to have their issues addressed.

“A lot of people are being left on the long finger, there’s one man I’ve been assisting who’s waiting three years for a front door,” he said. “Our housing staff accept he needs a front door but he’s still waiting three years. There’s another lady who has five young children and the hinges on her door are continually breaking.

"Our crews come along and put the hinges in a different location. It’s clear the door is too heavy and a more modern door needs to be installed there.”

According to director of housing, Carolyne Godkin, it is council policy to hold off before replacing doors.

“The policy is to maintain and repair over replacing, this is much better value for the taxpayer,” she said. “However, if a door has been replaced numerous times it does make more sense to replace it – but bear in mind, wear and tear is the tenant’s responsibility.”