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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
National
Patrick Edrich

Woman forced to wash with flannel as flats go days without heating

Three high rise flats in Stockbridge Village were left without heating or hot water for four days after an issue with the buildings' boilers.

The three blocks of flats - Whincraig, Firscraig and Mosscraig - were left without hot water or heating leaving residents in freezing conditions.

ForHousing told the ECHO the issue was due to issues with local parking preventing the delivery of the heating source that powers the flat's boilers.

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The housing company responsible for the blocks of flats in Stockbridge Village added the heating issue was fixed yesterday, February 8.

But one resident, who has lived in the Whincraig block of flats for 20 years, told the ECHO this is the fifth issue with the heating since Christmas.

Jo Jules, 50, lives with her elderly mum and said they had been left in freezing conditions since Saturday and had to resort to washing with a flannel to keep clean.

She told the ECHO : "It's been really cold - you can't wash any clothes or have a bath or a shower.

"A few people have electric heaters but money's scarce as it is and most people don't have the money to pay for it.

"We've just been washing with a wet flannel - I feel proper manky.

"It's not nice not having a proper wash - you look forward to a nice shower or bath everyday."

Ms Jules has criticised ForHousing for the lack of communication they've given residents throughout the ordeal.

She added there are old, young and vulnerable people in the flats who have been given little information about their situation other than ForHousing couldn't access the boilers because of local parking.

She said: "It's disgusting how we've been left.

"My mum is 84 and she's housebound so she's been stuck in just trying to keep warm.

"There's lots of disabled people, people with illnesses, and people with kids who've just been living in freezing conditions.

"ForHousing haven't even knocked on people's doors to make sure they're okay.

"Shame on them."

Nigel Sedman, Group Director of Homes at ForHousing said: “We are aware of the issue with water temperature and heating in three high rise blocks in Stockbridge Village.

“The biomass boilers for the buildings are fuelled by pellets which provide low carbon heating to people’s homes.

"However, deliveries of these pellets have been delayed because of ongoing issues with local parking.

"This has caused the system to run at a lower temperature than usual.

“Drivers were able to get through and make the delivery yesterday morning and the heating system has now returned to full capacity.

“We are engaging with the local community to make sure that delivery vehicles can continue to access the site and we can avoid any further delays.

"We’d like to apologise to anyone who has experienced a drop off in their heating and urge any tenants who are having problems with their heating and hot water to contact us via hello@forhousing.co.uk or call 0300 123 55 22.”

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