The collapse of building maintenance company McGill has left a number of local people in hot water – or, rather, without it.
One man’s Wardieburn council flat was undergoing a kitchen and bathroom replacement when the Dundee-based building services company went into administration on Friday.
He received the following letter from the city council’s Acting Property Manager Willie Gilhooly on Monday:
Dear Occupier
Kitchen and Bathroom Installation
You may be aware that the contractor McGills who was carrying out work on your kitchen and bathroom went into administration on Friday 1st February 2019.
The Council is now in the process of assessing all incomplete works left from McGill’s and Patch Officers from your Locality will be visiting everyone to brief and support everyone who has been impacted.
You will also receive a second visit from a Technical Officer within 48 hours of receiving this letter. The technical officer will assess the work still required to your installation and draft a plan of work so that your kitchen and bathroom installation can be completed as quickly as possible.
I would like to reassure you that the council has staff on site working to resolve this issue as quickly as possible and we will do our best to minimise the disruption and inconvenience this situation may cause you. We will continue to provide you with information as the situation develops.
The resident, who has a small child, said: “It is inconvenient to say the least and we are hoping that the council will be able to get this resolved as soon as possible. For the time being we are making do – friends and family are helping us out with our laundry so I suppose we are quite lucky. Fingers crossed it won’t be like this for too long.”
Four tenants in the Wardieburn block are affected and there are many more across North Edinburgh.
Another tenant said: “I was really looking forward to getting a new kitchen and bathroom as I’ve waited for such a long time. It’s a nuisance, but I suppose these things happen, there’s not much anybody can do about it really. It’s nobody’s fault.
“I feel sorry for the men who didn’t get any warning that they were going to lose their jobs. I’m disappointed that the work in my house wasn’t finished and the house is a bit of a state but I’m sure I don’t feel anything like as bad as those poor workmen must be feeling.
“I’ve got family who are unemployed and I know how hard it is to find work these days. I’m sure I can wait a wee while longer for my house to get finished – but not too long I hope!”
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