Military families made over 9,000 complaints about accommodation in just 16 months
MILITARY families made more than 9,000 complaints about their accommodation in just 16 months, shock figures show.
Top brass are under pressure over the repair work with almost 14,000 service homes awaiting help as of last month, research shows.
Ministry of Defence documents also reveal there were 1500 complaints made over missed appointments by workmen and 900 over the time taken to resolve issues, in the 12 months to March this year.
One angry Army wife, living in Hampshire, said: “There’s a hole in the exterior wall of my 1 year old daughter’s bedroom. I’ve been reporting it since June and it’s getting cold in there now.
“You sometimes get a response from maintenance two weeks later, but then you never hear anything. You try to complain and they don’t care.”
The Armed Forces Covenant says their accommodation must be of “good quality, affordable and suitably located”.
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Shadow Defence Secretary John Healey said: “These shocking figures confirm that Conservative Ministers failing service personnel and their families on a daily basis.
“Problems with household basics like heating and repairs are far too common, and aren’t getting fixed.
“Ministers have been told about problems with poor accommodation for years but they’ve taken no action.
“This is a far cry from the homes fit for heroes that forces personnel and their families deserve. The Government must get tougher on their outsourced contractors so complaints are sorted and service personnel have the homes they’re happy to live in.”
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A Ministry of Defence spokesperson said: “We are working with our suppliers to make rapid and sustained improvements to the service received by families, including investing over £170 million and upgrading 14,000 homes in the last financial year.
“The provision of good quality, safe homes for Service Personnel and their families is a key priority and more than 98% of Service Family Accommodation meet or exceed the Government’s Decent Homes Standard.”