Student tower block under fire from Woodhouse councillor

12.00.00am GMT Thu 15th Mar 2007

A student complex in Woodhouse has come under fire from a local councillor for being poorly managed and in desperate need of repairs.

Last December students living in Eldon Court opposite Leeds University got in touch with Cllr Kabeer Hussain, complaining that their rooms were damp and draughty.

After inspecting the rooms for himself, Cllr Hussain referred the matter to the council's environmental health team.

After extensive enquiries, representatives from environmental health, the fire service and Unipol have backed-up claims of neglect by the owners, Northend Management.

Councillor Kabeer Hussain (Hyde Park & Woodhouse) said, "Having paid a visit to Eldon Court myself I have to say I was shocked by what I saw. There seems to be a culture of neglect that has made the lives of some students living in Eldon Court a misery.

Councillor Hussain added, "As a ward councillor I have been opposed to exactly this kind of hastily constructed mass student digs. These developments are often thrown up with little consideration for either the local community or the students who have to live in them.

"To have students in new build complaining of damp and draughts, especially during the winter months, is simply unacceptable. I am pleased that the council has acted swiftly on this and that other agencies such as Unipol and the two universities have got involved too. I will look on with interest when the feedback from the inspections has been properly digested."