CONCERNS have been raised over whether historic buildings owned by Exeter City Council are being properly maintained.

Residents say two Georgian properties in Church Street, Heavitree, have window frames that are rotting and are in need of other urgent repairs.

The houses, in a row of three, were formerly the council offices for Heavitree Urban District Council given over to the city in 1913. Heavitree had previously been independent of Exeter.

Helen Jarman's great grandparents were the first to take over the tenancy of number 17 after it ceased to be the urban council's offices, and members of her family have been there ever since.

Helen, 28, said: "I've had a leak in my bedroom for 10 years.

"The window frame is rotting and the putty is beginning to come out of the windows. If nothing is done the window panes will start to fall out."

Violet Moles, 65, lives in number 15, and said: "It is hard to say just how much needs doing until they start to do the work.

"The windows were last done properly, with primer and so on, 20 years ago and they have been painted once since then."

Nick Drew, who owns Westward Rentals in Church Street, which is also a listed property, was surprised at the state of the council buildings and said he was always being told to keep his building up to scratch.

Heavitree councillor Chris Gale said: "How can the city council criticise owners of privately-owned listed properties for not looking after them when it is not doing so itself?

"These are listed buildings in a conservation area. When you compare their appearance to the other building in the row they look tatty.

"The privately-owned houses look gorgeous."

Cllr David Morrish, who also represents Heavitree, said: "I am backing Cllr Gale on this, the houses should be properly maintained."

A spokesman for the city council said: "These are Grade II listed flats. They were last refurbished in 1990 when externally they were totally re-rendered and so on.

"Since the end of the previous painting programme the council has targeted its limited resources on meeting the Government's Decent Homes Standard and on replacing guttering, fascia boards and so on to prevent the need for future painting.

"The level of finance available has meant we have been unable to paint as many blocks of flats as we would like in that time."

"However, in response to this query from Cllr Gale we will undertake an inspection of the flats to determine the overall condition of the render, paintwork and windows and ensure if essential repairs are required the work is undertaken."