TENANTS needing home repairs have been left hanging on the phone because of a shortage of staff to answer calls.

Many more tenants called Brighton and Hove City Council’s housing repairs line, causing call waiting times to “nose-dive” in October to December, according to a performance report.

Almost 15,500 calls out of just over 27,000 – 57 per cent – were answered. The target was 90 per cent.

Just 27 per cent, or just over 4,200 calls, were picked up within 20 seconds. The target was 75 per cent. The longest wait was almost 51 minutes.

In the previous three months most calls were picked up more promptly.

Housing manager Ododo Dafe said it had been hard to recruit staff with the council’s repairs contract with Mears coming to an end.

The council planned to bring the repairs and maintenance service “in house” next month.

She said three jobs were about to be filled and future recruitment would be to the council rather than the contractor which she hoped would make a difference.