Major refurbishment programme starts for homes hit by floods

Nearly 300 homes hit by the Boxing Day floods are starting to undergo a major programme of improvements and repairs.

This week two empty flood damaged properties, which have been fully repaired, are being opened to tenants as ‘show homes’ so people can see what the renovated homes will look like and what choices are on offer.

We’ve spent the first few months after the floods supporting tenants to rebuild their lives, drying properties out, and preparing homes for comprehensive flood refurbishment work.

With homes on the Riverside and Spike Island estates now fully dried out, we are now able to start a comprehensive programme of work.

Mark Foster, our head of investment, said: “We’re working as quickly as we can to ensure flood damaged homes are brought back to a good condition for our tenants. Our initial focus was on providing emergency relief – and the support we had from the local community was incredible during those awful first few weeks after the floods.

“Once the waters had receded, and flood damaged items had been removed, our focus shifted to getting homes dried out. Only when homes have been certified as dry could we begin the process of carrying out the long-term repairs and refurbishments which are needed. Now begins the major effort to really get people their homes back – to return them to the condition they have rightly come to expect of us as a landlord.”

Three Greater Manchester contractors – Emanuel Whittaker, Seddon and A.Connolly Ltd, have been appointed to deliver the repairs over the coming months. They will carry out work, including new kitchens, skirting boards, vinyl floors, radiators and decorating where required.

Residents have been given a choice of fixtures including flooring and kitchen units.

The location of the ‘show homes’ are detailed below and tenants can make appointments by contacting their relevant dedicated tenant liaison officer.

38 Riverside
Salford
M7 1PP

Contact – Caroline Yeo on 07908 548 919

11 Carey Close
Salford
M7 1TE

Contact – Rachel Sollinger on 07803 022 798

Mark Foster adds: “We will be writing to tenants in the next few weeks to let them know when work will be carried out to their home. Our aim is to make sure customers are kept fully informed of what is being done and when. And of course we will do our very best to ensure disruption is kept to a minimum. It’s been a really difficult few months for these customers and I want to assure people that we are doing everything we can to get this work done as quickly as possible.”

Customers can call the helpline on 0800 218 2000, and updates are also available on the dedicated section of this website: www.salixhomes.org/floods