Big problem with council heating and debt

cornwood_gardens

Hi all, sorry if this is the wrong place to put this but i couldnt work out where to put it, basically ive been living in my home for 7 years, and 5 years ago my ex partner took all my economy 7 heating out, all the radiaters, saying that he would put in oil heating, he then left me, so for the past five years my son and myself have had no heating in the house except from two open fires down stairs, I have been advised to get in touch with the housing that i am with,, to get them to put heating back in. problem is im worried that they can charge me for putting it back in, which could mount up to £1000s. i am a single working parent and dont think myself and my son can go through another winter of being cold. any advise would be great, thanks in advance

tlc678910

Hi, sorry to hear of your predicament.
Only answering on my own gut instinct and could backfire....I'd be interested to hear what others think especially if they work in council housing.
I expect that you would be charged/"told off" for removing your heating but then nothing is going to change until you bite the bullet and come clean.
Perhaps it is worth writing to your housing office outlining why you have been left in this situation (basically what you have told us here) apologise, and asking for their help. I think you would be wise to offer a payment plan for their work. If you are on a low income you could say something like...I realise that you will incur costs to help me install new heating and I would be grateful if I were able to set up an affordable payment plan. Basically I would be humble as you are telling a landlord that you have taken away an amenity of their property. It might also be a good idea to emphasise that you definitely intended all work to be done by a registered engineer and certificated and are devastated that this did not get finished etc.
Good luck

[Deleted User]

you could have a couple of oil filled radiators with thermostats and timers for a hundrer quid or so to warm the bedrooms

harveybobbles

I'm not sure what the council's response would be? Maybe they'd involve the police for theft? Criminal damage?

Seems odd that someone would remove it all the rads from a property they don't own?

Eco7 is the best of a bad bunch. Oil is much worse.

Seanymph

You won't know unless you ask them.

So ask them.

I wouldn't want to be without heating, and if they DO put it in they MAY charge you but would make that manageable.

I don't see a better option personally.