RESIDENTS of a sheltered housing complex found themselves unable to wash their clothes after council workers delayed fixing their washing machines.

Castle Point Council’s Stansfield Court, in Stansfield Road, Benfleet, is home to two communal washing machines and one tumble dryer.

For two months, residents from the 28 flats had to share one washing machine after their other one broke in March.

They were then at their wits end when the second machine broke on Tuesday, leaving them unable to do any washing at all.

The news was particularly inconvenient to two residents, who are confined to wheelchairs and less able to make alternatives arrangements.

Resident Joyce Gipson, 79, said: “We are not very happy. If the council had fixed the first machine when it broke, we would never have got to this stage where no one could do any washing whatsoever.”

A 78-year-old resident, who didn’t want to be named, said: “It is just completely unacceptable.

“The first one broke months ago and we were supposed to get a new one, but that never materialised.

“The machines are just so old and we were all of us, from all the 28 flats, having to make do with one machine. No wonder the other one broke this week.

“It was a serious health matter, we were left with no way to wash our clothes.

“Two of our residents are in a wheelchair, so they need to have access to a washing machine. Things were going from bad to worse and we just seemed to be getting nowhere with the council.

“I have no doubt this is happening elsewhere as well.”

Engineers from the council conducted repairs to one of the machines yesterday, but did not confirm when new ones would be supplied.

Castle Point Council chief executive David Marchant said: “Yesterday we were advised that the second machine at Stansfield Court had broken down and straight away a call out was placed for a repair. The maintenance provider was carrying out the repairs yesterday. “It is not correct to say that residents cannot wash their clothes – if necessary residents can use the washing facilities at the Lawns Sheltered Scheme which is very close to Stansfield Court The council’s housing service was made aware of a machine not working on 20 March 2012. “A call out was made in respect of this machine, but the maintenance company which attended stated the machine was beyond repair. In recent months we have been working with residents of all eight sheltered housing schemes to procure new laundry facilities across all the schemes.

“This has taken a little longer than anticipated due to finalising all the legal agreements. This process would replace the machines currently in use and for that reason we did not make alternative arrangements to replace the machine at the end of March. This was agreed with residents.

“A delivery date for the new machines is expected to be known within the next few days. Stansfield Court is the first site due for delivery.”