3,000 armed forces families forced to live in squalid housing win compensation

Servicemen and women have taken action after being made to wait weeks for repairs to heating systems, damp, mould or even rat infestation.

About 1,000 complaints a month have been made about shoddy conditions endured in military homes, official documents show. Some claim conditions were so bad they have made their children ill.

Last night a former Army chief called for more cash to be spent on housing for service families.

Contractors responsible for the upkeen of Army homes have received 3,586 claims for compensation from fed up occupants between August 2015 and Juanuary 2018 and paid out for 2,953 cases, according to MoD papers.

Former Army boss Lord Dannatt said housing conditions was were now so bad they were having a negative impact on troops and their families.

'TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE'

He added: “I am not convinced enough is being spent on personnel matters such as good housing, barrack maintenance and allowances to mitigate some of the difficult circumstances of service life and general welfare.

CarillionAmey was awarded a £2.8billion deal to maintain 50,000 service quarters in 2015 and the contract is up for renewal next year.

MPs branded the performance “totally unacceptable” in a withering report by the Commons public accounts committee in 2016.

Amey, which now runs the contract following the Carrillion crash last year, said: “Since then, service levels have improved significantly and the volume of complaints we have received each month ahs continued to fall.

“This year, we saw a 30 per cent reducation in complaints compared to the same period in 2018.

“We ar absolutely committed to putting the needs of the armed forces and their families at the centre of our services and will continue to work closely with them, our client and our suppliers to make further improvements going forward.”

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