Clarion Housing – 10 days without heating, 18 engineers in 10 months, health at risk (disabled & hou

bluechocobo

Hi everyone, I’m looking for advice on what to do next as I’ve hit a wall with Clarion Housing and their contractor, Robert Heath Heating (RHH).

I’m housebound and disabled with severe asthma and obstructive sleep apnoea, and my home has now been without proper central heating for 10 consecutive days — it’s only worked for a few hours total since 21st October. Indoor temperatures are around 14–16°C, which is unsafe for my conditions. My CPAP machine no longer functions properly in the cold, and I’m struggling to breathe and sleep safely.

On 23 October, an emergency RHH engineer diagnosed a spindle valve stuck on “hot water only,” manually reset it, and said if it failed again, the valve would need replacing. I tried to explain that this has been an ongoing issue, but he said he could only deal with the immediate fault. Within hours the heating failed again.

On 28 October another emergency engineer attended, saw the system briefly flicker on, wrongly concluded there was “no issue,” and claimed to have ordered a replacement valve — but left no notes, didn’t book a follow-up, and didn’t actually order the part. The heating stopped again immediately after he left and hasn’t worked since.

When I called RHH on 30 October, the advisor confirmed that the engineer had logged a false report saying the heating was working, which has completely stalled the repair process. This isn’t an isolated problem. Over the past 10 months I’ve had 18 different engineers visit and almost nothing has been fixed. Each one focuses on a single small fault, ignores the wider pattern, and often contradicts the previous engineer.

The boiler still leaks and loses pressure (there’s visible corrosion and white crystals on the pipes), the programmer is completely broken so I can’t schedule heating or hot water, the bedroom radiator valve was never fitted, and there’s been air trapped in the system since January.

I’ve repeatedly reported that the system is failing and that I have serious health conditions, but no one is taking responsibility. A Clarion plumber who attended in April even confirmed that the hot water tank is full of limescale and that the whole system should be replaced with a modern combi boiler to fix the underlying issues once and for all.

I’ve now submitted a formal complaint to Clarion asking for an immediate valve replacement, a senior engineer visit, replacement of the faulty programmer and missing TRV, full repair of the boiler leak and pressure loss, and approval for a new combi boiler. I’m sitting in a freezing home, unable to safely heat it, and my breathing is worsening every day.

What can I do to get Clarion or RHH to treat this as an emergency? Any advice would be hugely appreciated. I’m cold, scared, and desperate for help.

elsien

Have they not offered you alternative heating source such a plug-in radiators in the meantime? 

subjecttocontract

I don't know what the law says for your problem of repeated failure to repair but I know what I would do. Id contact the Company in writing, give them a reasonable time, say 14 days to get the heating fixed. Advise them if it isn't fixed you will arrange the repair and claim the cost back from them, through the courts if necessary.
Good luck.

theartfullodger

Which country (eh Wales, NI?).  The law differs 

Follow clarion complaint process.  Robert heath are their problem, not yours.

Sorry, good luck.

GibbsRule_No3.

PA Housing are just as bad. I think perhaps we should be allowed to with hold rent, as long as we only use it to pay a company to fix it and keep all the receipts. If not fixed within a reasonable time. I'm sure if Housing Authorities had that as a stick, things would get fixed quicker.

lincroft1710

There may or may not be useful suggestions here, but it does show that Clarion are not the only HA less than proactive

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6630376/no-heating-or-hot-water-since-11-september-25/p1

EssexHebridean

You've already put the formal complaint process into place, which is excellent. I'd be inclined in your situation to also contact my local MP, and the local press too - including your local BBC regional team. 

koalakoala

Can you not buy a fan heater or similar?
around £20 ish

GDB2222

Interesting that you say CPAP does not work because of the temperature. Most can work fine at 16 C, but you may need a heated humidifier and preferably a heated air hose. Have you discussed this with the clinic that issued you with the CPAP?

I appreciate that you wanted advice on how to get the HA to fix the heating, but optimising your CPAP treatment is something you can work on concurrently. 

bluechocobo

GDB2222 said:

Interesting that you say CPAP does not work because of the temperature. Most can work fine at 16 C, but you may need a heated humidifier and preferably a heated air hose. Have you discussed this with the clinic that issued you with the CPAP?

I appreciate that you wanted advice on how to get the HA to fix the heating, but optimising your CPAP treatment is something you can work on concurrently. 

Mine is condensing in the heated tube because ambient room temp too low. So I am shocked awake, choking and feeling like I'm drowning because I'm inhaling water into my nose.

ripplyuk

If you need a fast response, use the local press. Nothing will make them move faster than shaming them in the local media. 

Otherwise, it’s a matter of going through the complaints process and then to the ombudsman. That worked in my case but took a long time. You have my sympathies because I know how difficult it is trying to get social housing contractors to do their jobs.