A MALVERN-BASED housing association is expected to change its policy over helping elderly and disabled residents with repairs after an elderly resident was given £25 to redecorate his kitchen by himself.

Leonard Williams, a 77 year-old widower, was left with a half-finished kitchen after agreeing to have a replacement one fitted at his Elgar Housing-run sheltered accommodation at The Drive, in Colletts Green, last year.

Mr Williams said the kitchen was replaced but workers stopped short of repainting over places where wallpaper was stripped off the wall.

He said: "I said okay and they did electrical work. They stripped the paper off in six places to sink new wires, plastered over and then gave me £25 to redecorate when they had finished."

Because Len has had two heart bypasses and an aneurysm he said it was impossible for him to do the work.

"I can't bend my head back for more than two or three seconds," he said. "It makes me giddy."

He said that several other residents at the sheltered housing complex were in the same position.

"They are people in their seventies, eighties, nineties, who can't afford to pay to have the work done. It would cost £200 not £25. I think it's diabolical to leave it like this."

Mr Williams contacted his local county and district councillor Tom Wells, who wrote to Elgar's executive director, Clare Huyton, highlighting the situation.

As a result the housing association has now agreed to review its policy with regard to elderly and disabled residents.

Ms Huyton said: "We believe that all our tenants, both young and old, should be entitled to the benefits of a high quality kitchen.

'Elgar offers a £25 voucher to assist with any minor decorations that may be required once the kitchen has been installed and where the tiling finishes.

"As a consequence of Mr William's concerns over the decoration, we can confirm that a review of the policy will be undertaken."