HOUSING chiefs have admitted that a set of master keys allowing entry to dozens of flats in Mount Vernon in north Belfast cannot be found.
Controversy erupted last week after it emerged that the Housing Executive gave police keys to access seven tower blocks in the nationalist New Lodge area.
While the PSNI said they were provided in June "strictly for use in emergency situations" and have since been returned, local people reacted angrily and demanded that locks in hundreds of homes be replaced.
In response, the Housing Executive offered to put new locks in the seven towers as well as homes in the two Mount Vernon towers - more than 500 flats in total at an estimated cost of tens of thousands of pounds.
Amid confusion over the whereabouts of the keys for Mount Vernon, housing officials confirmed last night that they cannot be found.
“The Housing Executive has possession of master keys for the Mount Vernon tower blocks but we can confirm that one set cannot be located,” a spokeswoman said.
“We are undertaking further inquiries.
“The privacy of our tenants and residents in the blocks is taken very seriously which is why access for non-residents at these tower blocks can only be granted by a concierge service, which operates on a 24-hour basis.
"These concierges are employees of the Housing Executive."
The spokeswoman added that residents have received a hand-delivered letter explaining the situation.
“We have also offered each of our residents living in the Mount Vernon tower blocks the opportunity to have their individual door locks changed,” she said.
“To date, none of the residents in the Mount Vernon blocks have requested a lock change.
“The Housing Executive regrets any inconvenience caused and we would ask tenants who have concerns to contact us.”
Belfast PUP councillor Billy Hutchinson said the locks in both Mount Vernon blocks must be replaced.
“Whether the keys are lost or not we need to nullify them and they need to change the locks,” he said.
“The point is to give people peace of mind.
“If anything was to happen and it was disastrous, that someone was injured or killed, there is going to be all sort of suspicion about where the keys were.”
Mr Hutchinson also said he will also be asking the Housing Executive to launch an investigation.
“This is not a case of giving your 19-year-old son a key to the door and they lose it,” he said.
“People are anxious and uncomfortable for all sorts of reasons.
“People are people and they like their privacy and don’t want people to get into their homes.”
In a statement last week, Inspector Paul Noble said police had been given keys “for the seven accommodation blocks in the New Lodge area only”.
“PSNI have been asked if we hold keys to similar accommodation blocks in the Mount Vernon area,” he said.
“We have confirmed that we do not."
