MAGNA Housing Association officials have agreed to draw up a comprehensive works programme to tackle defects in their properties across West Somerset.

They pledged to remedy a range of problems reported by tenants, from faulty heat pumps to damp, mould, and broken fences.

The undertaking came at a meeting with Ian Liddell-Grainger, former West Somerset MP and now Conservative candidate in the new seat of Tiverton and Minehead.

It follows a Free Press investigation which revealed how Magna had left vulnerable pensioners without heating for several weeks in freezing weather conditions on either side of Christmas.

Magna chief executive Selina White apologised at the time, admitted the housing association had failed to meet its own standards, and said it was working urgently to resolve the heating issues.

Mr Liddell-Grainger said he became aware the problems were continuing when talking to Magna tenants on their doorsteps, some of whom said they felt ‘totally abandoned’ by their landlord.

Now, Mr Liddell-Grainger has talked to the company’s operations manager and received reassurances that the repairs backlog would be tackled.

He said: “Given the huge amount of publicity this issue received in the pages of the Free Press I felt sure out of sheer embarrassment Magna would have got its act together before this and launched an immediate works programme to prevent any more reputational damage.

“However, I was delighted to be told the situation is now in hand and that a firm programme for dealing with the defects is now being drawn up.”