IRATE council tenants are at their “wits end” after facing weeks of delays and shoddy workmanship by contractors carrying out upgrades to their Oldbury homes.

A spokesman for the mainly elderly residents of two blocks of low rise flats in Lodge Street, Oldbury Green, said the Sandwell Decent Homes programme was causing “unbearable stress” for many pensioners.

Ron Peterson, of Davies House, has taken up the cudgel on behalf of several neighbours in his block and in Parkes House, listing a catalogue of misery.

Wates Living Space has been tasked by Sandwell Homes to carry out refurbishments including re-wiring, installing central heating new kitchens and bathrooms to thousands of ageing council-owned homes to bring them up to modern standards.

But Mr Peterson said many scheduled eight-week revamps were now into their 11th to 16th week and still far from complete.

He said many tenants would not have had the work done if they had know it would take so long and that they would be left with sub-standard workmanship and materials.

He claimed tenants’ property had been damaged and in some cases flats had been left covered in rubble.

“The psychological effects these and many other issues are having on the residents are becoming more and more intolerable,” said Mr Peterson, adding “I have spoken to many residents and they are at the end of their tethers and wits end. Many are still deeply upset and very despondent and have lost hope in Wates, their sub-contractors and the council.”

The 50-year-old described himself as “one of the lucky ones” who has not encountered as many problems as others have so far, but he has logged complaints from seven tenants including “useless liaison officers,” “poor unhelpful workmen” – mainly sub-contractors, lack of care for residents’ belongings and poor communications.

Simon Parry, Head of partnership management for Sandwell Homes, said: “We have identified some service issues including time spent in completing properties and the standard of the finished product that we are working closely with construction partner Wates Living Space to rectify.

“We work closely with our customers to understand any personal circumstances that need to be considered when undertaking the works and are therefore concerned to hear of the issues raised.

“At this time we apologise to the customers concerned and want to assure them that we are working to resolve the situation as soon as possible.”