Browse Sections

• Education
• Special reports

Elderly residents braced for another cold winter

Chris Jones
31/ 7/2008

A COMMUNITY of elderly residents faces another winter in freezing cold homes after they say their landlords went back on plans to renew their heating system.

Householders living in Space properties along Searness Road said they were informally promised their boilers would be replaced after years battling with landlords.

The combination of the 18-year-old boilers and ageing double glazing has left the properties suffering from condensation and plummeting temperatures for their vulnerable occupants.

But just as work was expected to begin, residents were told the improvements would not be done this year.

One resident, Sam Crossley, said he is now desperate rather than endure another freezing winter in his bungalow.

"It gets so cold here in the winter that it's warmer outside than it is inside," he said: "I've lived here for almost three years and in that time British Gas have had to come out 30 times to repair my boiler.

"It needs replacing and I had a man here from Space earlier in the year who said it would be done in June, but now they've turned round and said there isn't enough money.

"It was the first time someone had actually promised it would get done, and for them to turn round and say they weren't going to do it was really disheartening.

"This is a really nice community, we have very little trouble and I get on with my neighbours, but I can't face another winter in here because it gets so cold."

Residents are now demanding their boilers are replaced, along with windows, to ensure they are able to afford to keep warm in the winter.

Trevor Haye, Property Services Manager for Space New Living, said they did talk to residents about replacing boilers, but did not promise to replace them.

He added: "We did talk to residents about the possibility of replacing boilers for the residents of Hartsop Drive and Searness Road but when specialist gas engineers inspected them recently, it was found that they were generally in good working order.

"We are sorry that some residents might be disappointed, but no promise regarding replacement was made.

"If anyone has a problem with their boiler or heating system, at any of our properties, we arrange to fix it as soon as we can – and replace boilers when necessary."

He added the windows at the properties had been re-painted in April, and an independent surveyor would be asked to check their condition.

He also said British Gas engineers would be sent to inspect the boilers at the houses, which would be replaced if deemed necessary.

Tell us what you think. Email us on middletonguardian@menwn.co.uk or click on 'Submit comment'