RESIDENTS are having to remove all personal belongings and decor from communal corridors at their housing complex.

Those living at Sovereign Housing's Malthouse Court in Crocker Street and St Cross Court in Holyrood Street in Newport are upset at the changes.

However, Sovereign said they are improving the safety of the buildings and smartening the communal areas up.

Residents say they have been asked to remove plants, mobility items, ornaments, images, and doormats — much of which they claim makes it a homely place to live.

Isle of Wight County Press:

Robert Burningham is a full-time carer for a resident, He said: "These are items the residents have put there to make the place more homely.

"It seems they are trying to take away everything that makes people proud to live here.

"Everything we try to do to make the area a better place, they put a stop to it saying it’s their property. People are beginning to feel like they don’t care about them."

Dave Bull, regional housing manager for Sovereign, said: “We aim to provide homes in great places, where people want to live — and this includes investing more in the homes we have.

"We’ve been talking with our residents over the last few months about the upcoming changes to their communal areas, in face to face meetings and by newsletter.

“We’re improving the safety in communal areas in our housing for older people.

"This includes the removal of wall hangings and furnishings in the corridors and installing new seating in reception areas.

"This is so we meet fire safety regulations, and communal spaces can be accessed more easily in an emergency — and to smarten up the areas, ensuring that the responsibility for future maintenance of these areas rests with us.

“We’ll continue to work with our residents to select pictures for the walls that really represent their home and local area.”