Housing association not much help with severe defects

highhopes19

Hi I'm looking for some advice I'm a moat housing customer in the southeast, I have 2 bedroom flat first floor with a Nibe 260 or 200.... Since may last year we've put on just over a £1000 in electric!

The day we moved in my neighbour said to me how expensive it had been but I didn't think much of it to be honest..... By November to December 2013 we we're putting on anywhere between 50-70 a week.

I first reported in November and was told it's the not the HA problem as they don't deal with utility's as they are the tenants responsibility and that I needed to get on to my energery provider which I did they came out changed my tarif and my meter thinking this would help... It didn't bills remained the same.

Back again on the phone to moat housing to be told they are aware of the problems since then! Despite my neighbour also having the same problems being dealt with.

Despite this we were still paying full rent of £107 a week aswell as the electric it became impossible and it ate away at all our savings we had to take credit cards to get by

On the 23rd December moat provided me with £280..... £200 I put on the electric and £80 I had to use for food shopping as already that week prior we had put on £65 and had had nothing for dinners I the house as I spent it on electric. That money run out in January.

February we phoned moat and spoke to the executive director as he was on call and the only one available he said until he's spoken to the people dealing with it gave us permission to use part of our rent money to use on the electric which we did....

The week later we get a letter saying we're in rent arrears! Again we keep paying our rent plus electric like we were advised!

2 weeks later the defects teams phoned and said that they were transferring £300 to my account to cover electric and any other short comings we've had because of this problem. So I paid £200 electric and the rest paid the arrears.


They are now saying they are providing us with no more financial help and are making up utter crap that we've only been putting on £45 a month once you take away the £580 they've given.

Our rent is now £120 in arrears were still paying rent and now having to pay for the electric at £50-£60 a week at the moment and they think this is fare! I don't know where to turn next I have severe medicated depression and I'm well truly at rock bottom this whole thing had affected my whole family and my 2 year old daughter is picking up on it my relationship is at breaking point with my partner we can't carry on



They've mentioned dropping ceilings, moving us, adding radiators but nothing has materialized

highhopes19

Also to add we've had southern electric come out to test all my appliances and the fault lies with the boiler system that's been installed.

Also this property was built claiming to be the first of its kind in the south east as code for level sustainable housing.... Apparently we're meant to enjoy low running costs, warmer homes .... How can they claim this when we're paying over the average by such a huge amount. Nibe told me I should be paying around £545 a year with this system but because my housing association have installed the wrong one were suffering in a big way!

Whilst they are rehousing us I asked if I could live with my dad instead of here and they said no I'll be making myself homeless

Biggest kick in the teeth and insult was today being told would I like someone to come round from welfare and teach me how to budget my money.....!!!!!!!!!!! I'm blooming good at budgeting my money before all this started we could save £200 a month for emergency now all that's gone on electric and we are in the minus nearly every month! I don't need help budgeting I need this boiler gone ! Then we'll be just fine

Doozergirl

Can you change to a meter & bill situation rather than 'putting on' as described? It's well documented on this website that people like you are paying the very highest prices for electricity, even without a faulty system.

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/utilities/switch-prepaid-gas-electricity

patman99

Is this one of those air-source heat pump things?.

TBagpuss

Have you had the confirmation of the fault with the boiler confirmed in writing, and have you written to Moat specifically requesting that the boiler is changed?

If not, I would recommend that you do - keep the letter brief, factual, and relevant:
e.g.
- We first reported problems with a faulty system, leading to excessively high fuel bills, in November 2013.
- Our appliances and systems were all tested by Southern Electric on [date] and they have confirmed that the issue is that our flat has been fitted with an inappropriate boiler system, which is causing the problem.
- We have been advisd by NIBE that the system which has been installed is incorrect and that had the correct boiler/system been installed they would expect us to have fuel costs of around £545 per year. With the current system we have paid over £1,000 since May 2013.
- Moat has accepted that the issue arises from a faulty system and we were told by [name / job title] on [date] that we were to make paymetns for electricty rather than rent as Moat accepted that we should not be paying such high fuel costs. When we did as Moat had directed us, we received letters accusing us of being in rent arrears.

Say what you want them to do:

- We would ask that you take steps to immediately replace the faulty system with [type of system NIBE has recommended, if they have]
- please also confirm that until the new system is installed, you will reduce our rent to [£ ] to offset the excessive fuel charges
- please also confirm that our records will be updated to ensure that we are not recorded as being in rent arrears in relation to the payments made, on Moat's direction, for fuel in lieu of rent.

In the alternative, please confirm that you will arrange for me to transfer my tenancy to alternative property which does not suffer from this defect.

Please let me have your written response within 14 days."


Don't go into a lot of detail about the effect the problems have had on you - the whole letter should not be more than one page long. If you have writtten before, say so, and say weheni it was.

Keep a copy of the letter so you have a paper trail.

Also keep written, dated notes of any telephone conversations r other communications you have with them.

Good luck

Bantex_2

Can you not just turn the heating down or use less hot water? I believe the average yearly spend on heating is around £1200.

Fluff15

Bantex wrote: »

Can you not just turn the heating down or use less hot water? I believe the average yearly spend on heating is around £1200.

NIBE are horrible boilers if installed incorrectly and have been doing this to people all over the country, housing associations are now removing them from properties because they're causing so many issues. It's not just a case of turning it down, the 'heat recovery' system they use is more like a glorified extraction fan, it's useless.

http://www.insidehousing.co.uk/eco/more-landlords-report-heat-pump-problems/6524703.article

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2203899/Sustainable-energy-Families-facing-2-000-bills-green-heating-does-work-Britain.html

Bantex_2

Fluff15 wrote: »

NIBE are horrible boilers if installed incorrectly and have been doing this to people all over the country, housing associations are now removing them from properties because they're causing so many issues. It's not just a case of turning it down, the 'heat recovery' system they use is more like a glorified extraction fan, it's useless.

http://www.insidehousing.co.uk/eco/more-landlords-report-heat-pump-problems/6524703.article

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2203899/Sustainable-energy-Families-facing-2-000-bills-green-heating-does-work-Britain.html

My point was more that the OPs bill seems around average.