Three west country housing associations have been left with unfinished homes after building firm Louis Hamilton Construction went bust.
At least 84 homes for housing associations Magna, East Dorset and Western Challenge were left unfinished when the firm went into receivership earlier this month. Other housing associations in the area are also believed to be affected by the collapse of the construction firm, which specialised in social housing.

Magna Housing Association had tenants signed up for 31 homes, which were due to be finished in January. Fourteen of the homes were built but not decorated and a further 17 only had the frames and roofs completed.

Magna has tendered for a new builder and hopes the homes will be completed in March.

East Dorset said only the foundations were laid on 23 homes Louis Hamilton was building for it before the construction firm went bust. The buildings will be completed by Glossbrook, part of East Dorset’s strategic construction partnership.

The association hopes the project will only be a month behind schedule.

Western Challenge said between 20 and 30 of its properties were left unfinished. Louis Hamilton had been a part of Western Challenge’s construction partnership. Another partner will finish the work.

All the associations involved said they had checked the finances of the construction firm before entering partnerships and had found nothing wrong.