Family-of-seven endure chilly start to festivities
Larchfield: Left for days without central heating or hot water after repair delays
A family of seven had to endure the run-up to Christmas without central heating or hot water after delays in fixing a leak at their housing association property.
Janette Greenwood, 54, lives in a three-bed home in Brunel Road, Larchfield, with her husband Mark, son Mason and daughter Demmie.
Her other daughter Sianey, who is 31 weeks pregnant, also has a room in the property with her partner as well as seven-year-old daughter Myah.
Earlier this month the family noticed water leaking from the floorboards in Sianey’s bedroom into the kitchen.
They reported the problem to the A2 Dominion Housing Group, who look after the property, but when engineers came round to the house on Saturday, December 11, they could not diagnose the problem and had to disconnect the boiler.
Over the coming days, contractors came and went but could not find the source of the leak and the family had to use costly electric heaters to keep warm while their boiler remained out of action.
Janette then contacted the Advertiser to raise awareness of the family’s troubles.
She said: “I’ve had a chest infection; my pregnant daughter’s had a chest infection. We’ve all been poorly but there’s no heating to keep warm. They (A2) just don’t get it. They say they understand but they don’t because they haven’t been sympathetic at all.”
Janette said the family had resorted to boiling water in kettles for the washing up.
Temporary electric heaters provided had racked up bills of £120 in a week, she added.
“My daughter is now 31 weeks pregnant with twins and is supposed to be on bed rest and her bedroom is upside down,” Janette said.
“With all the stress of moving her bedroom around, she’s got nothing ready.”
Dawn Wightman, director of housing, A2 Dominion, apologised to the family for the disruption and said hot water and heating has now been restored to the property.
A statement said: “I appreciate how frustrating it is to have your hot water and heating disrupted, especially at this time of year, and I would like to apologise to the resident affected.
“We have now been able to restore hot water and heating to the property and are working with them to resolve any remaining leaks.
“We will also be contacting the resident to discuss compensation for the days that their hot water and heating were affected.”
Janette disputed the claim the heating and hot water had been restored when contacted by the Advertiser yesterday (Wednesday).