Edinburgh housing: Furious tenants hit out at council over ivy which has ‘taken over’ entire blocks

Edinburgh tenants are furious over overgrown ivy which they say has got so bad it has ‘taken over’ entire blocks.

Residents from properties at Lochend Road South said the ivy has blocked out light, poses a fire hazard and is causing structural damage. Some said it’s allowing rats to get into their homes.

The sprawling ivy which is mainly affecting five flats across properties 70 and 72 Lochend Road South has been a problem for more than two years and is now spread across three floors. Tenants in these flats say that the ivy is leaving them in the dark and they are furious that after notifying the council nothing has been done about it.

Fed-up tenants say the problem has led to rats being able to access the property and is making it impossible to open and close their windows. It has also sparked fears that the overgrowth represents a fire hazard due to it blocking off tenants in one of the blocks from a fire escape route.

Ivy has 'taken over' flats on Lochend Road South

Residents have also hit out the council for failing to repair the properties, after reporting the security of the stair doors in buildings 70 and 71 don’t lock leaving them feeling unsafe. Living Rent the tenant union said the problems with ivy, stair doors and other issues have been reported “on a number of occasions” by the affected tenants. But they have not had any repairs carried out or even assessments, they said.

One tenant who wished to remain anonymous said: “The ivy is overgrown and is covering two and a bit panels of the bay window frame. The windows have been blocked since 2020, when I first tried to cut it myself and I couldn’t even cut through it with brand new garden shears, brand new garden shears buckled in my hands. I got in touch with the council more than once and never heard back.

“There’s inadequate ventilation. When it was that 30-degree heat wave I couldn’t even open my windows. When we were locked down at home during the pandemic the ivy closing in and covering my windows exacerbated my anxiety severely. I need light back in my house!”

Frank, one of the residents said: “Anyone can get into our stair, it's not safe. I have so many issues in my house that the council are not looking after. The houses are old - they are cold and damp and have dodgy floorboards. They said someone would come out to assess the ivy but they never have. Something needs to be done. I can't even open my windows.”

Ivy is blocking flat windows

A spokesperson for Living Rent said: “More over the last couple of months we are hearing stories of social housing in dire need of repair. Tenants should not be living in properties with serious dampness across the property, with broken windows and amenities or in this case broken doorways and overgrown undergrowth impacting the tenants inside.

“The council needs to step up and commit to repairing their properties and ensure that all council tenants feel safe and secure in their homes.”

An Edinburgh council spokesperson said that they would arrange an urgent inspection.