Two year’s ago I raised the council’s failure to maintain the external cladding on their “Swedish Houses” across Lochaber. I am pleased to report that the council listened to my concerns and undertook a survey of the houses. This revealed that up to 10% of the external cladding boards require replacing, along with some porch areas. Funding is allocated in 2017-18 to undertake these much needed external repairs.

However, I still remain concerned about a lack of regular inspection and maintenance. So, I’ve asked officers to confirm what the long-term programme is. Talking to some residents I understand there has been no timber treatment or routine maintenance for over a decade. If the council had done this we wouldn’t be facing an expensive bill for repairs now.

© Photo copyright Malc McDonald and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence