Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Woman feared mum’s boiler could explode
A HOUSING association has moved to repair an OAP’s boiler after the Tele got in touch to ask why she had been left without heating for months.
Devina Parfitt had no hot water over Christmas due to the ongoing issue, but despite the best efforts of her daughter Susan, the issue remained unresolved.
Susan claims she made repeated pleas to Sanctuary Homes to install a new combination boiler over the past six months.
However, the firm – which says it was only made aware of the issue in November – has now fixed the boiler, after being contacted by the Tele.
Susan said: “My mum is 72 years old and has a heart condition.
“This had been happening for six months with the boiler going off leaving her with no water.
“It has been terrible. The noises the boiler was making made me think it was going to blow and take the neighbouring houses with it. I thought it would kill her.
“Having no hot water during winter is terrible.
“It went off again just three weeks before Christmas and I think Mum should have got a new combination boiler back then.
“My mum has carers coming in to help her and they could not get hot water to wash their hands because it was so bad.
“I really don’t think a repair is going to work, but they told us they won’t replace the boiler because it is not old.
“I was at my wits’ end and I think the boiler is on its last legs, but the workmen keep reassuring us that it is fine.
“That is the repair done and if it goes wrong again then I will be right back on to Sanctuary.”
Devina, of Turnberry Avenue, added: “I don’t think this system will work, but we have to give it a chance.
“They have put in a new water tank and hopefully that is it.”
Sanctuary spokesman Kevin Turner said: “We carried out a repair on Monday morning and I have been told that the issue has been resolved by the workmen.
“The boiler is only five years old so it would not be replaced.
“The banging noises could have been water pressure – it would not have blown up.”