Over 1200 people came along to the Better Homes exhibition at the Rothes Halls, Glenrothes on 21 and 22 March to find out about planned improvements to their homes.

The event was designed to give tenants information about the Council’s Housing Investment Programme and provide a chance to ask questions.

Tenants were able to view displays of kitchens, bathrooms, windows, doors, roofing, heating systems, new build projects and energy efficiency measures.

Also on hand to provide advice was Fife Council Trading Standards, Energy Saving Scotland Advice Centre and Tenant Federations, to name but a few.

They are on track to ensure that all council houses meet the Scottish Housing Quality Standard (laid down by the Scottish Government) by 2015.

The standard requires that properties are in a good state of repair with modern facilities, energy efficient and safe and secure. A massive £68.178 million will be spent in the next year alone to bring council homes up to this standard, as well as build new houses and other works.


Derek Muir, Head of Housing and Neighbourhood Services said: "Thanks to all the tenants who came along to our Better Homes Exhibition, I am delighted with the turnout. This is the third year we have held this event and given our tenants the opportunity to see first hand the improvements we are making to their homes.

"We are investing just under £70 million this year by making improvements to our existing homes and by building more new council homes throughout Fife."

Mrs Duff from St. Andrews attended the exhibition and commented; "I think it’s super and I am very pleased to see the kitchen units I will be getting. The exhibition gives a good idea of how things will look, much better than a picture."

Mrs Bateman from Kirkcaldy said: "I was gobsmacked by the exhibition, much better than I expected."

Elizabeth Mirams from Glenrothes who has recently had a new kitchen fitted commented: "I am so chuffed with my new kitchen. All the workmen were very polite and always told us what they were doing. The decorators did a great job too, my kitchen is lovely."

The improvements are carried out by the Council’s Housing Investment Partnership which was formed between Building, Housing and Property Services in 2010 to improve the delivery of building works including responsive repairs, planned maintenance, gas servicing and repairs, and improvements.

(GK)