Housing association criticised for tearing out fittings in ‘immaculate’ north Derbyshire home after tenant moves out

Concerns were raised after contractors were spotted ripping out a South Yorkshire Housing Association property on Heather Way, Holymoorside.

Neighbour Fiona Pigott described the home as ‘immaculate’ with a new kitchen, carpets, blinds, and flooring throughout.

She has now hit out at the housing association for the work, claiming it to be an ‘abuse of the taxpayers money’ after revealing that five skip loads of rubbish had been removed from the property – including the brand new kitchen.

She said: “My good neighbour decided to move out on March 25 to buy her own home leaving an immaculate house with new carpets, blinds, flooring throughout and a new kitchen.

“The housing association have today sent in a squad to rip everything out of the house including the new kitchen. To replace with standard, this most likely will be ripped out and replaced with similar to what's been taken out!

“I am so insenced by the disgusting waste. This is only one house, this is apparently standard practice. How much is this costing the tax payer? How much landfill?”

Gareth Wallace-Parkin, housing services director at SYHA, said: “It is our approach for each our of properties to undertake technical assessments to make sure that components and alterations (including kitchens and bathrooms) within our homes are in good, safe condition prior to letting.

"We will leave components in place wherever it is safe and practicable to do so; however, on the advice of our technical inspector, this was not possible in this case.”

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