Council May Sack Repair Firm After Homes Left in Bad Condition

Basildon Council is unhappy with housing repairs. The council leader might fire the maintenance company. Morgan Sindall handles the council’s housing repairs. Some say they fail to answer emergency calls, and residents are reportedly living in unsafe, moldy homes.

Council leader Gavin Callaghan spoke at a meeting, stating that repairs take too long and are often of poor quality. He wants big improvements by Christmas; if things don’t improve, the maintenance company will lose their job.

Morgan Sindall disagrees with the council’s claims. The firm says they completed 40,000 repairs last year and believe the councilors have wrong numbers.

The council invested extra money in housing repairs. Councillor Callaghan blames past mismanagement and demands better service for residents quickly.

Councillor Emma Callaghan also wants improvements. She says emergency repairs take too long now, and people wait in cold, damp, dangerous places. She also feels residents are being ignored.

Morgan Sindall says the comments are disappointing and claim to provide good service to Basildon homes. They completed most repairs in 2024, and emergency jobs were fixed quickly. The company said wait times are only minutes, and they will work with the council to improve.