For two months, the residents have tried to get Housing NSW to come and mow the overgrown mess.

And for two months they got absolutely nowhere, until The Area News intervened.

Jim Warr, whose mother-in-law lives at the complex, said occupants were appalled they faced spending Christmas among the two- or three-foot high pasture.

“If these poor old ladies and gentleman have got family coming to visit them they can’t even sit on the lawns as the grass is so high,” Mr Warr said.

Mr Warr said the residents had called the department’s Griffith and Sydney offices numerous times since November in an attempt to get the lawns tended to.

“They were told they probably won’t get them mowed before Christmas, which is ridiculous.” he said.

“My main concern is snakes because the grass is just perfect for them … these residents deserve better.”

After being contacted by Mr Warr on Monday, The Area News rang Housing NSW in Sydney to find out why the lawns had not been mowed for so long.

Several hours later a spokesperson issued a statement apologising for the inconvenience and promised a contractor would visit Snaith Place the next day.

“Housing NSW recently introduced a new maintenance regime across the state, which has led to delays in the lawn being mowed at Snaith Place,” the spokesperson said.

Mr Warr said he was pleased the lawns would be mowed, but questioned why it took a newspaper’s intervention to get action.

“It does make you wonder. For nine weeks residents had been trying to get the lawns mowed and they did nothing until you blokes started digging around,” he said.