9 Months without Heating or Hot Water.

[Lensman87]

Hi,

I live in a Housing Association property and for almost 9 months from April 2009 to mid January 2010 there has been no Heating or Hot Water in the property apart from the days the engineers visited.

The system consists of an external boiler and tank and the fault was due to air getting into the oil supply within the boiler causing it to lock out permanently once the burner turned off.

Engineers visited 30 times over that period and could start the system which would heat the water and run the heating until the lock out kicked in. Each time they started the system by bleeding the air out causing oil to be spilled within the boiler box, fumes from this spillage entered the house through the flue carrying the pipes into the house. For some reason this was not sealed.

The upshot was that for 9 months there was a strong smell of oil in the living room causing headaches, nausea, friends stopped visiting, etc. Plus of course except for the 1 hour running time with each engineers visit, no hot water or heating. It was a cold winter as I could only afford to run 2 electric heaters in the main room.

The problem has now been rectified by replacing and raising the oil tank, which the engineer recommended after 2 months though for reasons I don't understand it took another 7 months to deal with it.

The Housing association has a compensation scheme in place, £3 a day I think, which in no way will cover the cost of electric heaters, launderette visits, boiling lots of water for baths, replacing curtains and furniture imbued with the heady aroma of oil, etc. Saving are gone.

I requested the compensation 2 months ago and seem to be getting nowhere. The association are blaming the engineering contractors and say they are trying to sort it out with them, though little seems to be happening.

I call weekly to talk to the person responsible for this. He is always in a meeting and I'm told he will call back. He has twice but I see no progress to date.

The association has a complaints procedure which I have yet to implement. I didn't know it existed until a month ago.

My question is - What rights do I have and how do I go about implementing them?

Thanks for your time.

[rebel11]

1) The first thing I would do is use the housing associations complaints procedure to make a complaint. Don't let it drag on. Nine months is 'Outrageous'. I would set a deadline. I would send letters, recorded if you can. Keep copies.

 

2) Give these people a ring. Contact us : TSA : Make some note before you ring them, see if they can take up your case. http://www.tenantservicesauthority.org/server/show/conWebDoc.16012

 

3) Housing associations are public bodies and susceptible to claims under the Human Rights Act, If this is the route

that you choose, you could get Legal Aid, but use this route as a last resort.

Edited April 15, 2010 by rebel11

[Lensman87]

Thanks rebel11,

I'll get the complaints procedure going and get in touch with the TSA.

I'll post how it goes.

[Aviva]

If you are not happy with their response remember to go through their complaints procedure as quick as you can. If you are still not happy you can go to the Housing Ombudsman but you will need to have gone through the HA's complaint procedure first.

 

You could also try to speak to/email the Chief Exec or his office as this often gets things resolved.

[Lensman87]

Thanks for the info Aviva. I received a copy of the complaints procedure today, it seems like the minimum period to go through the 3 phases is about 6 weeks unless they wish to extend it. I'm getting on with it.

I never thought about contacting the Chief Exec so I'll give that a try - if I can find his email address, they don't make it easy:roll:

[Lensman87]

Oops,

forgive the sexist, or is that freudian slip. I Mean his/her email address of course.

I want my mum.