FOUR families on a Blackburn estate have threatened to withhold their rent unless Twin Valley Homes repairs to their homes.

Residents of Brecon Road issued the ultimatum after homes owned by the association on the Whitebirk estate were modernised.

Carol Clayton, who lives in one of the 14 occupied houses in the road, said: "Other houses on the estate have been double glazed, had gas central heating put in and had other modernisations in the last year and a half.

"We had to sleep with two quilts and go to bed at 8pm to get warm enough to sleep.

"We have written and told them that we are now willing to stop paying our rent and pay for our own repairs.

"We are paying the same rent as everybody else and we are really annoyed that we are not getting the same treatment.

"They wrote back and have told us it could be another two years we have to live like this.

"They are quick enough at taking rent but it is not good enough."

Mrs Clayton, 34, who lives with her husband Alan, 33, and their two children Sarah, 16, and Scott, 13, says her home has a number of problems which need urgent attention.

The front and rear doors, she says, will not close properly without being slammed, which is ruining the door frames; window frames are rotten and floor tiles in the kitchen need replacing.

A letter responding to resident complaints and a petition said the Brecon Road improvement project had taken longer than expected due to extended staff sickness but that Twin Valley Homes was committed to improve all tenanted homes in their first five years of operation.

Gwyneth Sarkar, director of housing, said: "Twin Valley Homes have been working hard on a number of measures to regenerate Brecon Road, including the much-publicised Buy and DIY scheme, and although we have not yet made any firm decisions for Brecon Road, our current funding package will enable us to continue improving our homes well into 2006.

"We are responding to tenants for more information."