Upgrade leaves flats without showers for four months

Forty properties in Oxgangs Road and Oxgangs House had showers installed in April as part of a bathroom and kitchen upgrade.

Residents had been advised it could take a few weeks to upgrade the power supply so they could be used – but more than 12 weeks later, the work has still not been carried out.

After being advised that the work would finally be carried out this week, residents have now been told there will be yet another delay, with no firm date as to when it will be  completed.

Most of the tenants are understood to have baths which they can use, as the problem has not affected their water supply, but the lack of working showers has still been slammed by those affected.

One woman affected, who did not want to be named, said: “We are a bit frustrated, to say the least, we just want it sorted.

“To go through the refurbishment is not easy, we’ve done all that and we still can’t use the showers?

“Apparently there’s not enough power to use the showers and the other white goods and we were told we couldn’t use them and the power upgrade would take place in a few weeks.”

Although Scottish Power claims it cannot carry out the work until the necessary preparations are carried out by the city council, the local authority has said the opposite is true.

“Part of the problem is we keep getting wrong information,” the resident added.

“I got a text from Edinburgh Building Services saying it would be sorted this week but it turns out ScottishPower have not put the cabling down so yet again it is going to be  postponed.”

Colinton/Fairmilehead Councillor Jason Rust, who represents Oxgangs, had planned to raise the issue at a meeting of full council this week.

He said: “Tenants are justifiably angry that having been part of the refurbishment programme they now cannot make use of their new showers, four months since installation in many cases.

“I’m extremely disappointed that ScottishPower have not been more proactive.

“My constituents have not been getting the service they deserve. There requires to be better joined-up working between the council and utility companies.”

Cllr Rust added that it was “intriguing” that residents had been promised the work would take place a day before it was to be raised before council.

A ScottishPower spokeswoman said: “We are  awaiting some preparatory work to be carried out by the council before we can connect the new supply and working closely with the council to complete this work.”

A spokesman for the council said: “We are working with ScottishPower to address the electricity supply issues.”