Kingsway Gardens resident raise concerns over Aster works

Gary Rayner said residents of Kingsway Gardens in Andover have raised concerns with Aster for almost a decade since major refurbishment works at the Andover development.

Mr Rayner said problems from the original works were never properly resolved and leaseholders now face another costly improvement programme.

He said: "I've been involved with this place for about eight years now since Aster let us down."

Kingsway Gardens (Image: Dan Quina Brito)

Mr Rayner said the original project was meant to tackle damp and water ingress in the buildings.

But he claimed that residents criticised the workmanship, materials and specifications from the start.

"There is a lot of issues that came out through that, poor workmanship, poor choice of materials, inadequate specifications.

"The list goes on and on," he said.

Residents now face a second phase of major works that Mr Rayner said could cost leaseholders hundreds of thousands of pounds.

"We did send in two petitions which had been completely ignored," he said.

Residents are also concerned about annual service charges and maintenance costs.

Mr Rayner said the ongoing bills are putting off buyers and dragging down property values.

He said: "These properties have been devalued.

"No mortgage company would touch them because of the impact of Aster and the debt that they put on the properties."

Mr Rayner also questioned charges on service-charge statements and claimed residents have received no information about money paid into a sinking fund over several years.

"The sinking fund, which we've all paid into for the last 10 years, should be in a completely separate account," he said.

"We haven't had a statement in nine years."

He also alleged that residents have struggled to get answers from Aster.

"There isn't a coherent string of people you deal with," he said.

"They deliberately bounce you around so you haven't got a clear direct contact."

Mr Rayner said the dispute had taken over residents’ lives.

"I've been at this years and I haven't got anywhere," he said.

"It's like hitting a brick wall."

An Aster spokesperson said: "We've been arranging planned upgrades to keep these properties safe, well maintained and in good condition for the future.

"We appreciate that this major work might be unsettling for leasehold customers, which is why we first contacted them in November 2025 to outline the plans.

"We consulted leaseholders through the Section 20 (S20) process about the planned work and what it would involve.

"During the consultation, leaseholders could ask questions and share their views.

"We carefully considered all feedback received before moving forward with the project."

The spokesperson added that a dedicated customer liaison officer was working with local housing teams to support residents during the works.

North West Hampshire MP Kit Malthouse is understood to be contacting Aster on behalf of Kingsway Gardens residents.