EAST End tenants have slammed a housing association for leaving them with “broken homes” during the pandemic.

A number of Dennistoun residents contacted Councillor Elaine McDougall after, they claim, finding themselves with nowhere else to turn.

The elected member says tenants are disappointed with a lack of assistance from Glasgow Housing Association who have classed issues, such as dampness, as “non-emergency”.

Cllr McDougall said: “Residents have been getting in touch about difficulties they’re experiencing having repairs carried out due to Covid-19.

“They’re only carrying out emergency repairs just now, but are ­expecting people to pay rents.

“Some people are dealing with ­really bad damp.

“There are even rat problems which, of course, aren’t the fault of the housing, but they cause issues for people’s homes,

“Yet, these aren’t being deemed an emergency.”

She added: “Some have been told their repair would be handled sooner if they were key workers, but because they aren’t, there’s no way of knowing when it will be done.”

An elderly tenant, who asked not to be named, claimed she had been struggling with damp problems in her kitchen since last winter but was continually told her repair would not be handled until coronavirus restrictions ease.

GHA has vehemently denied the allegations of assessing tenants repairs based on their key worker statues.

A GHA spokesman said: “Despite the ongoing public-health restrictions, we’ve carried out more than 43,000 repairs across Glasgow since March.

“The safety of tenants and staff remains our number-one priority as we continue to do essential and emergency repairs, ranging from hazardous electrics to problems with power and heating and leaking pipes.

“Any tenant who needs a repair should call us, get in touch online or contact their housing officer.

“We promise to do all we can to help, particularly if the person involved is vulnerable or there is a significant impact on living conditions, through issues such as infestations.

“We’ll resume a full repairs service as soon as we are able and it is safe to do so.”