Trent and Dove Housing have reacted after angry residents complained about their communal garden being neglected – even though it costs them £1,000 a week.

Residents at Osborne Court, in Calais Road, Burton, pay around £12 a week each for the upkeep of maintenance to their communal garden.

The non-optional charge is included in tenants' overall rent and totals to around £1,000 a week for all residents.

Residents say the garden only gets trimmed once every few months
Residents say the garden only gets trimmed once every few months

Tenants claim no gardeners, cleaners or repairmen have been to visit the grounds for a couple of months – despite them still being charged for maintenance.

Craig Cooper, a resident at Osborne Court, says Trent and Dove are letting his home “run into the ground”.

He said: “They only came to cut the grass yesterday after months. They say that’s reasonable and acceptable standards but there’s no cleaning inside, no garden work, nothing really. It’s a mess. People walk past and think, ‘they don’t look after that place’.

Tenants describe the garden as an embarrassment
Tenants describe the garden as an embarrassment

“I told Trent and Dove, why don’t we swap flats and see how you like it? All I want is the £1,000 worth of work being done that I’ve paid towards.”

After contacting Trent and Dove, which provides social housing throughout East Staffordshire and South Derbyshire, a spokesperson for the housing authority said they had responded to the complaint by cutting back the brambles and grassy areas.

The company said they will be contacting Mr Cooper directly to ensure he is satisfied with the works that have been undertaken.