Housing firm bosses grilled by councillor after woes at new Portsmouth flats

Senior leaders within Vivid met with Hilsea councillor Scott Harris after a number of complaints by residents at Southdown View.

As previously reported by The News, residents launched a petition amid security and safety concerns within the block.

They claimed rats were infesting the flat complex, a ground floor security door was left broken and that dangerous cladding had not been replaced.

Vivid has since fixed the security door and said the building is not a fire risk.

However, the fears prompted Councillor Harris to speak to Vivid's chief executive about the issue.

Cllr Harris said: '˜Residents have contacted me regarding their concerns and I am hopefully going to set up a meeting with Vivid in the near future.

'˜However, issues such as the rat problem is being treated, but it is much more complicated than first thought due to the way the bin shed is operated.

'˜I have been reassured the building is safe from fire safety point of view with checks completed by the fire service and a contractor has been finally appointed to carry out the recladding works. A timescale for these works is still unclear.'

Residents had been promised the cladding would be replaced towards the end of 2017.