A TROWBRIDGE woman says she and her fellow residents are being treated ‘like peasants’ by their housing association, after building work was carried out with no warning.

At 9.30am on Tuesday, Margaret Byrne, of Heather Shaw, got a huge fright when two builders arrived outside her door and began hammering away at the concrete there with a cold chisel.

The 72-year-old, who thought she was being burgled as the work was so loud and unexpected, has laid the blame firmly on Stonewater Housing Association, for not telling her the work would take place.

“They treat us like we are peasants. They have no respect or dignity for us. I did not get a letter or an email and the builders did not even knock on my door,” she said. “When I found the person to talk to, she said I should have been told, but me, along with many others, are kept in the dark on this stuff. It was so noisy when the builders started banging away, I thought I was being robbed. It was really scary. A few weeks ago we were told our doors would be replaced but nothing happened. This is just one of many things they do badly.

“Earlier this year they took away my carpet and curtains from the landing as they said it was a fire hazard, which I disputed.” They were so slow in reducing the rent when they said they would do it straight away.

“My neighbour says he has been treated diabolically. They told him to take down his cameras and if they didn’t he would be taken to court. They own the place so they will not go but Ever since they came in around 10 years ago, Stonewater has caused a lot of trouble.”

A spokesman for Stonewater said: “As part of our scheduled improvement works, we are replacing the front doors of homes at Heather Shaw. Minor preparatory works to the outside wall were required before the doors can be replaced.We have checked with our contractor and unfortunately, due to an administration error on their part, letters were not sent to residents in advance to notify them of the planned work. Although the site supervisor attempted to visit each home on Monday to inform the residents that work would be starting the next day, he was unable to speak to all of them, as a number of them were out.

“Stonewater always aims to give residents prior notice of repairs that may affect them wherever possible and we are sorry that this did not happen in this particular case.”