Leaking roofs among flaws at new houses at Perseverance

Residents of Perseverance Housing Scheme on the East Bank of Demerara are complaining about major flaws in their houses and some persons have refused to take up residence until they are rectified.

During a visit to the housing scheme on Tuesday by Junior Minister of Communities, Annette Ferguson, residents complained bitterly about leaking roofs and issues with the flooring

The Department of Public Information reported that Minister Ferguson, who has responsibility for Housing, said she will hold her office accountable since persons have commenced paying their mortgages.

“I visited more than 10 houses, however, there are cases where some homeowners were not at home but appear on the complaint list. I have examined, listened and documented the beneficiary’s concerns. There are some issues with flooring, leaking roofs and toilet facilities,” the Minister said.

She reassured the residents that their concerns will be addressed shortly.

“I have given the commitment that, once the defects are within the liability period, we at CH&PA [Central Housing and Planning Authority] will have them addressed; and I can assure you that work will commence in a week’s time.”

The DPI reported that the houses in the Perseverance Housing Scheme were constructed by private investors who worked in collaboration with the government through the Housing Solution 2017 and Beyond project. This venture sought to resolve the enormous backlog of applications from as far back as 1994, at the CH&PA.

In 2017, the project was strategically chosen because the layout of the housing scheme accommodates 570 house lots, which helped to see a reduction in the 25,000 housing applications for that year.