AN independent review into the condition of 22,000 Incommunities' homes across the district is due to start.

Incommunities made the announcement amid an ongoing, wide programme of investment in its homes. 

Work is already underway at several retirement living complexes and blocks of flats across the Bradford district.

The first batch of newly refurbished homes at Farish House, a retirement living complex, is now ready for new tenants to move in.

Incommunities - which owns Farish House in Keighley - has plans to get 55 homes within the building ready for modern living.

At the end of last year, work started to bring 26 empty flats and studios in the complex up to date.

Improvements included installing new kitchens and bathrooms in some of the homes, showers in all studio flats, and a full redecoration. 

Five of the newly refurbished flats in the sheltered accommodation for people aged 65 and over are now complete, with the remaining 21 scheduled for completion in late spring.

New lifts have been installed at Ailsa House and Waryn House, both in Thorpe Edge, and Ruth House, on Otley Road, Bradford.

New boilers and/or central heating systems have been installed at Earlswood Gardens (Wyke), Ivy Bank Court (Shipley), Green Bank Court (Shipley), and Forester Court (Denholme).

New roofs have also been installed at Fairfax House (Bradford) and Wellesley House (Laisterdyke).

Several improvements have been made at Maple Court, Bingley - including new flooring and a new communal kitchen.

Graeme Scott, executive director of development and assets at Incommunities, said: “There are 55 separate homes within Farish House, 26 of these have been sitting empty as they weren’t fit for purpose. This refurbishment work will bring these 26 much-needed homes back into use.

“We are committed to investing in all our homes and communities, which is why we are about to start an independent review of the condition of all the homes that we provide. This will allow us to proactively plan maintenance and investment across all our 22,000 homes. 

“Whilst the review is ongoing, we will continue to carry out the necessary major work on our customers’ homes, in addition to day-to-day repairs and maintenance.”

Sylvia Thompson, who has lived at Farish House in Keighley for four years, said: “It’s not quite finished yet, but what Incommunities has done has changed things a lot for us. The investment in our homes offers us security and we’re staying together as a community.”