They waste our cash on fittings

Lots of good and bad comments have been made about Walsall Housing Group since they took control of Walsall Council's housing stock nearly five years ago.

However, most tenants are over the moon with the refurbishments that have taken place and if I am honest, I too am pleased with the work they have done so far at the property I rent.

But at what cost! Should we be looking at the bigger picture rather than the gleaming new bathroom suite and kitchen sink units?

In my cul-de-sac every kitchen sink, every bath and toilet bowl has been removed and not one of those items thrown in a van for disposal at the tip was faulty!

Of course, some may have required new taps or washers for taps, maybe a new toilet seat or re-tiling and re-sealing around the sinks. I had a new kitchen sink and units about ten or 12 years ago. It's fine but they say it has to be taken out along with my bathroom, and there is nothing wrong with that either! I spoke to WHG to decline the work on the grounds of it being a waste of money (our rent) but they are not interested!

They are doing double glazing in a house opposite as I write, and guess what - they are removing double glazed windows put in two years ago to replace them with double glazed windows.

Most houses here have coal fires, but some are gas. The gas houses have their own central heating systems and gas fires renewed even though some of their gas fires are less than five years old, and according to the gas fitter doing the work: "They just need servicing, but I have to remove and replace them"!

If my memory serves me correctly, Walsall Housing Group took over the housing stock and borrowed £30 million to do this work; they can only get the money back to pay the loan and interest from our rent!

Wouldn't it have been more responsible and economical to have only replaced faulty or unserviceable stuff instead of replacing everything regardless?

J Scratchard, Shannon Drive, Brownhills.