Council Leaves Pensioner Shivering Without Hot Water for Weeks
A Croydon pensioner struggles without heating or hot water, facing freezing conditions and health issues as council repairs drag on.
Croydon, UK, Boiler, Heating, Council, Health
Croydon: A 76-year-old woman is really feeling the chill after her boiler broke down a month ago. Susan Plume, who has lived in her council home for 44 years, is stuck without hot water and is relying on small heaters to keep warm.
The freezing weather and her ongoing health issues have left her shivering at night. She shared with the Local Democracy Reporting Service, “I thought I’d be treated better at my age.”
Susan, who lives with one of her daughters, first noticed the boiler problems on December 13. She quickly called the council, worried she’d be left in the cold during the holidays.
But the council’s response didn’t ease her worries. She said, “I called them on December 13, and they promised someone would come in four hours. They showed up the next day and said they needed a new part.”
When a technician finally came to fix it, he claimed everything looked fine. But after he left, the boiler got worse, forcing her to call again. “This whole process is taking forever. I just want it fixed,” she added.
In the lead-up to Christmas, several contractors came to her home, but many couldn’t finish the job due to missing parts and extra plumbing work.
Meanwhile, Susan has been dealing with a leaking boiler that drips water all over her kitchen. “At first, I thought I left the tap on, but it was the boiler. It fills a bucket every day, and I have to keep emptying it,” she explained.
As a former cleaner and part-time carer, Susan is also battling chronic jaw pain, which makes her current situation even tougher. She feels this boiler mess has come at the worst time.
Her daughter Andrea, who lives in Wales, is frustrated with how her mother is being treated. “Mum has health issues and is a cancer survivor. She’s been left without heating for weeks, and I’m really worried about her,” Andrea said.
Andrea added that the council knows about her mother’s struggles, and it’s appalling how she’s been treated. “Mum doesn’t have the internet, so getting emergency repairs is a nightmare. It’s just unacceptable,” she said.
On January 8, the council’s contractors visited again, bringing a small heater as a temporary fix. But Susan still lacks hot water and worries the heater won’t be enough to warm her home.
She hasn’t been able to take a hot shower or wash dishes in over a week. “I really don’t know how I’ll manage if this isn’t fixed soon. At my age, I shouldn’t be left in the cold,” she said.
Feeling desperate, Susan remarked, “I might as well be living on the street because it’s that cold. I was shivering and couldn’t keep still.”
The contractors have promised to return soon to fix her boiler, but Susan is skeptical. “I’ll believe it when I see it,” she concluded.