Need Advice on Council not sorting out heating issue

acharris

Hi all, need some advice. My mam is a pensioner and has been in her Council house for 47 years and now she has a serious issue with the house which the council can't or won't heat and wondering if any further action she can take.

Back 2 weeks ago her Coal Fire chimney became blocked and the carbon monoxide detector went off. The company they use to fix issues came out and couldn't clean it using a sweep from inside and need sorting from the roof.

To do this they need scaffolding to get up onto the roof. But over the last 2 weeks they can't get hold of the scaffolding company they use to arrange it and they have not given a date as to when heating will be sorted. We got 2 small room heaters as a loan but the rooms goes cold quickly after turning them off. Can't afford to run them due to cost of living and lost her pension credit due to £1.30 and don't get the winter fuel payment.

What could be our next action to try.amd get this resolved as council don't think it is urgent, but the temps are dropping and it is very cold. Any help is appreciated. Thanks 8n advance.

tacpot12

Call your local Citizens Advice to see if they can offer a Fuel Voucher.
Apply to any Household Support Fund scheme offered by your local council.
Engage her local councilor to get the Council to provide temporary accommodation or have her move into your home until the repairs can be done.

This link will give you some other options: Council housing repairs: Disruption and moving out - Shelter England

Keep_pedalling

I am not sure how you can get the council to act faster but from a practical point of view get her a heated throw. These are brilliant and cost pennies to run as they heat the person rather than the whole room and will still be useful as an extra source of heat when she gets her coal fire back in action. 

Long term would she consider a swap to somewhere smaller more modern with cheaper heating costs? 

acharris

Thanks for the replies! Will look in the CAB. Also she can afford her regular heating which is coal, but these little heaters are probably expensive to run for very little heat. Will look at the heated throw, but I live with her as her carer and a joint tenant and we have thought about moving if they can't sort the problem, but the waiting list is long. Thanks again 

ThisIsWeird

Is this an open fire, a Harris? Coal is cheaper than electricity? Blimey.
A quick Google confirms that coal is, indeed, cheaper to buy, but not nearly as efficient.
What type of electric heater is she using?

FreeBear

ThisIsWeird said:

Is this an open fire, a Harris? Coal is cheaper than electricity? Blimey.
A quick Google confirms that coal is, indeed, cheaper to buy, but not nearly as efficient.

With an open fire, some 80% of the heat goes straight up the chimney. Fitting a (multifuel) stove was one of the best things I did here. 10 bags of coal would last most of the winter and heat the room very effectively. But with the current price of the stuff, I've switched to just using wood.

Fitting a stove in a rented property isn't really an option though...

marcia_

 When my aunt had water coming in through the roof she spoke to a solicitor who wrote to the housing association. They fixed the roof and paid compensation. 

tealady

I would contact her local Councillor(s), that's what they are there for IMO.

ThisIsWeird

In this situation, tho', the tenant has viable heating alternatives, and if this is an open fireplace (we don't know), I doubt there will be a significant difference in running costs between the coal and electricity.
She might miss the directly radiated warmth, in which case one of these small halogen-bar heaters should provide both this and a warming glow, but an oil-filled radiator is usually the best electric way to heat a room.
As said by others, an electric over blanket could be the best short term solution, or a heated seat cover with a nice throw over - very effective. 
All these blankets and heaters require an initial outlay, tho'. Perhaps worth considering which ones will continue to be useful once she has her fireplace back. My dil felt the cold and wanted the house temp at what was for everyone else an unpleasant level - he complained even at 22o - so we bought him a leccy chair cover. That did the trick tho he still complained his feet were cold, so we got him leccy 'boots' too!
Tbh, if this is an open fire, this could be a good opportunity to determine if it's the best way forward. Surely it carries a number of risks?

HampshireH

You need to follow the complaint procedure 

Open a stage 1 complaint outlining the service failure (their website will outline their standard expected). As they have provided temporary heating that may meet the initial standard however outline your expectation for compensation added up daily for the usage of the electric heaters x 2 (ask for more if she needs them). Some articles suggest between 49p and 68p per hour for a 2kw heater so there is a starting point.

I'm surprised to hear that her sole heating is a coal fire, that's hugely inefficient and most landlords have been tasked with increasing thermal efficiency and epc ratings etc.

Take the complaint through the process if you don't get a resolution within their stated timescales. Ombudsman would be final stage but you have to follow process to get there.

Elec blankets and you can get electric oodie type things now too are great for warmth

However lack of heating at this time of year will lead to damp and it may be worth adding your concerns into the complaint.

theartfullodger

Sorry to read your story.

She should look up council (not company they use to fix things) complaints process and follow it, plus contact local MP & (probably best chance ) her local councillors and chairman of housing committee - or similar name - (see council website). Email and 'phone.

What does her 47 year old tenancy agreement say about problems?

And get oil-filled radiators in today to give some more heating.