A woman who was forced to live without heating or hot water for almost two months during the winter is making a compensation claim against her landlord.
According to Fiona Shaw, from Skipton in North Yorkshire, her boiler broke down constantly over a period of several weeks, but it was not replaced by the owners, Accent Group Housing Association, until this week.
Fiona, 48, who has been a tenant with Accent for nine years, said: “The boiler stopped working just before Christmas and Christmas Day was terrible.
“My daughter came round and we sat there wrapped in quilts, desperately trying to keep warm with the gas rings in the kitchen on full blast. Accent does not provide gas fires in the living rooms.
“It’s been a nightmare. I’ve just been so cold – it’s been the coldest winter in 30 years and I’ve had no heating or hot water. I’ve been in tears regularly.
“I have had to rely on the kindness of neighbours for a bath and I’ve been boiling the kettle for a wash.”
Fiona, who is registered as disabled and receives housing benefit, was unable to report the problem until 4 January as Accent’s offices were closed over the Christmas period.
Several attempts to repair the boiler have been made since, but each time it broke down again shortly afterwards.
Neighbours of the woman, who are Accent tenants as well, claim they also made requests for repairs and received no response.
Jade Chapman, 21, and a single mother said she was told by Accent when she moved in two years ago that damaged seals on the windows would be repaired.
She said: “I’m still waiting, so all the heat escapes. The house is freezing and the loft is not properly insulated.
“There’s also mould on the walls in my four-year-old daughter’s bedroom, which is a health hazard. I’ve tried to bleach it off and paint over it, but it keeps coming back.
“My daughter is settled in nursery so I don’t want to move. It’s so annoying, you ring Accent to report problems but they take so long to do the repairs.”
A spokeswoman for Accent said on Tuesday: “Unfortunately there had been a number of unresolved problems with Ms Shaw’s heating system since she first reported it.
“Each time our contractors called, they repaired what they thought was the problem but we now know there was an underlying fault which caused parts to re-fail.
“Ms Shaw will be receiving a new boiler today and our contractor will be discussing compensation with her.
“In terms of other repairs needed on Simbach Close, any that have been reported have already been resolved, or have an appointment scheduled for a contractor to call.”
