A COUNCIL tenant has claimed that his building has been left to go to rack and ruin by its owners.

Phil Haines, 43, of Cranmore Avenue, Park South, lives in a block of flats.

He claims the flat has been continually neglected by Swindon council with problems taking years to get solved despite numerous complaints to the housing department’s maintenance team.

Swindon council said some of the problems would be addressed.

Mr Haines said: “The amount of time they’re taking to turn around and do these jobs.

“They said if you don’t report them it cannot be done, but they have been reported time and time again.

“I’m really sick of it now and I think something should be done.”

Mr Haines, who has lived there for 16 years, said it has taken over two years to get council contractors out to fix the guttering, which is blocked and leaking.

This causes debris to fall from the front of the building and further water damage to the building.

However, the job has not been finished and scaffolding has remained outside the property since May.

He said the security on the front door to the communal area is so poor he has two bikes stolen that were in the communal and been burgled twice.

He said a tree has become so overgrown that it now touches the building.

Despite a surveyor coming out to look at improving his 15-year-old kitchen work tops and flooring he was told nothing would be done.

It also previously took five-and-a-half years to get some fencing near the property repaired.

Mr Haines said: “We’re just being completely and totally ignored, we look after the our areas.

“This council just totally disregard us, they’re letting this building go to complete rack and ruin.”

A spokesman from Swindon council said: “We recently met with Mr Haines to talk about the ongoing problems at his property and have assured him we will write to everyone in the block of flats to update them on the gutter repairs, which we expect to be completed by the end of this month.

“Work is due to start shortly on pruning the trees and an order has been placed to repair the communal entrance door and improve security at the block.”