RESIDENTS are at their wits’ end over a renovation project now running 191 days late.

Some 608 properties are affected by an energy efficiency makeover that should have lasted 12 weeks but is still underway EIGHT MONTHS later.

Not only is the scheme dragging on, householders claim the works are causing a raft of problems.

Residents in Kerrycroy Avenue, Toryglen, and surrounding streets say issues include:

*Gardens have been badly churned up and grass not replaced

*Patio stones have been damaged and not replaced

*New roughcast is bald

*Claims of raw sewage coming in to residents’ flats

*In one block, blue plastic has been used to cover residents’ windows for five months, meaning they can’t see out and have to have their lights on even in daytime.

*A gas contractor was removed from the site when safety issues were raised.

The £8.5million scheme is being carried out by energy firm E.ON on behalf of Thistle Housing, with grant funding from Glasgow City Council.

A spokesman for Glasgow City Council said Thistle HA is aware of all these issues and has raised them with E.ON at site progress meetings.

The Evening Times visited the site to speak to locals who were visibly distressed by what has happened to their neighbourhood.

David Crockwell, who lives with his wife, owns his groundfloor property, which has French doors opening into a private garden.

Scaffolding erected in his garden - and the fact the space was used as a throughway by workmen - has left the lawn a mud pool and his patio stones cracked and broken.

Mr Crockwell’s block is supposed to be finished but he and other neighbours, including Ian Paterson, have complained about the standard of work.

As our photos show, the close door should have been replaced but is damaged.

The 54-year-old, who works in the building trade, said: “The gardens have been completely vaporised and the work to the building is below standard.

“Thistle Housing is spending government money to make this place a hell hole.

“I’m losing the will to live now, it’s depressing me living here.”

While the scaffolding was up, the Crockwells say, it was impossible to fully open their patio doors with Mrs Crockwell saying, “It felt like the full weight of the scaffolding was coming down on you.”

Residents have contacted local councillor James Scanlon on a monthly basis to ask for help.

Mr Scanlon said: “I am as disappointed as my constituents are. They have every right to complain.

“I am the local councillor and I live in the area and see what they are experiencing.”

The Toryglen flats are being given energy efficiency upgrades aimed at reducing energy bills and improving building fabric.

Residents say they had no notice of the works until Thistle employees visited their homes to say they had to pay £2129.10 towards costs.

Mr Paterson claims he - and others - were visited on a Tuesday and told they had to pay up by the Thursday or work wouldn’t go ahead.

Since work started he has had sewage flood his home on six occasions, he claims.

The 63-year-old said: “It is like Beirut on a bad day. They expect us to live in a building site when this is a residential area.”

In another incident a gas contractor was removed from site after gas safety issues were exposed.

Glasgow City Council has confirmed that the contractor, Masterton Ltd, was removed from site and another contractor employed to investigate and rectify, where needed, all gas works carried out by Masterton Ltd.

As a result of the gas safety issues five separate RIDDOR (Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013) notifications were raised.

Mr Paterson said: “This was only found because our elderly neighbour had a routine boiler check from British Gas.”

In response to the issue of gas safety on site and the hiring of Masterton Ltd, a spokeswoman for E.ON said: “At E.ON we have a commitment to working with local contractors on such schemes, promoting jobs and skills in the area and making sure our investment in energy efficiency is shared among the wider community.

“Safety is our number one priority and we demand the highest standards and full accreditation from everyone working for us or on our behalf.”

The spokeswoman said that E.ON and Thistle HA met on Tuesday this week and a completion date of July 2017 has now been agreed.

This will be more than a year since scaffolding was erected in May 2016.

She added: “We have previously apologised to residents for times when we have hit problems which caused delays or when remedial work was required where the standard of the initial work was not as high as we, Thistle Housing Association and residents expected.

“Properties owned by Thistle Housing Association are being insulated at minimal cost to residents under the government’s Energy Company Obligation (ECO).

“Owner-occupiers are also included within the scheme, taking advantage of ECO and Home Energy Efficiency Programme for Area Based Schemes (HEEPS ABS) funding provided by the Scottish Government, with the aim of improving the energy efficiency of their homes.”

The Evening Times asked E.ON how much the project would now cost, given the extended length of time it will take to complete and that work will have to be re-done.

The company did not answer the question. Nor would the firm respond to queries regarding compensation for residents.

Thistle HA did not return calls from the Evening Times or reply to emails.

A spokesman for Glasgow City Council said: “The council has provided grant funding to Thistle Housing Association for energy efficiency and repair works to owners’ properties located within Thistle HA’s own stock but are not a party to the contract between Thistle HA and E.ON.

“However, our housing team is aware of the issues that have been raised and has been working with the above, as appropriate, to resolve these matters.”

The spokesman confirmed that the council will keep to its funding commitments but no additional funds will come from the council.

Mr Pateron added: “It worries me greatly that tax payer funds might be being mismanaged here and if projects like this happen elsewhere then people who need work like this won’t get it done because so much money has been spent on us.

“Where’s the money coming from to do all this stuff again?

“We have asked Thistle again and again for answers and all you get back is guff.

“What I hate is unnecessary waste and that unnecessary waste being unexplained. It gets me really, really angry and I’m not the only one.”