East Renfrewshire Council has had to fork out millions of pounds on repairs to its housing stock over the past two years, new figures show.

Thousands of repairs to council homes were needed between November 2021 and November last year, leaving the cash-strapped local authority with a bill for £4.4million.

Almost £200,000 of this was spent on tackling dampness.

Councillor Chris Lunday, who represents Barrhead, Liboside and Uplawmoor for the SNP, wants to see more council homes built in East Renfrewshire.

He told the Barrhead News: “Dampness and mould are, unfortunately, very common in Scotland due to the age of the council home stock.

“Addressing this issue is of paramount importance. People have the right to safe and comfortable homes. The Scottish Government is committed to building more council houses and I look forward to East Renfrewshire Council having more new-build council homes.

“People should not be suffering in substandard homes and I think it’s very important that we work to resolve these issues, as it could cost the council a lot more in the long-run.”

Figures obtained by the LegalExpert.co.uk website through a Freedom of Information request show that the vast majority of the £4.4m spent by the council during the two-year period was on “reactive repairs.”

Councillor Andrew Morrison, who represents Newton Mearns North and Neilston for the Scottish Conservatives, has welcomed efforts to ensure tenants are able to enjoy “good, liveable conditions.”

“During difficult economic times, the provision of good quality, affordable housing is especially vital to our communities,” he said.

“There are just over 3,000 council homes let across East Renfrewshire and, whilst we would obviously seek to reduce the 91 complaints received in the last year to nil if possible, it’s heartening to know so many of our residents are happy with their houses and this proactive investment will help deliver better living standards for everyone.

“The council has spent on average £1,400 per property on council house repairs. That is about £120 a month of your rent coming back to funds which keep the housing stock in good condition, with upgrades to bathrooms, kitchens, heating systems and so on.

“Stories elsewhere, such as the tragic death of young Awaab Ishak recently due to a mouldy social housing flat in Rochdale, show the need to prioritise people having a safe and healthy home to live in.”

A council spokesperson added: “As part of our ongoing housing repairs programme, we have invested £4.4million to carry out over 10,000 repairs across our entire stock of more than 3,000 homes.

“This is in addition to a range of improvements including re-wiring, new bathrooms, kitchens and heating systems, ensuring we’re providing high-quality and safe housing for all our tenants.”