Council red tape.

[Tarot]

Ther are several people, mainly pensioners on Hindmans road who have been without heating for a few weeks because they need new boilers.

The council have sent loads of people to "look" at it but have to wait for the "ok" to pay for it.bfore work can go ahead.

In the meantime some of these poor folk are having their proverbials freezed off, Southwark council is working for you is a joke.

The moneyspent on these ridiculous roadworks would be better spent on their tenants homes, amd maintainance of the boilers before their are deaths of hyperthermia and carbonmonoxide poisoning. So get your priorities right Southwark.

I bet you,ve got warm offices, maybe theses people should go and stay in a few of them to keeep warm while you sort your workmen out. How many more are you putting on ice.?

[KidKruger]

Boilers last 15-25 years often. Mine's currently 18.5 yrs.

What an incredible coincidence that several properties have all suffered boiler failure, to the point where no heating is available, at the same time. I wonder what could have caused a collective failure like that, it's mystifying, verging on a phenomenon.

[Tarot]

Not all at the same time,but always breaking down and not being maintaained twice a year like they used to be {cutbacks}

risking monoxide poisoning.

The boilers thet replaced the old ones are not as reliable.

Its not funny to have vulnerable people risking stroke, or mycardial infarction and hyperthermia while they procrastinate over contractor payments.

I was wondering if these people could get compensation.

I offered to get them fanheaters but they said they couldn,t afford it.

Others keep having boilers breaking down in the same housing complex, not all at the same time.

[ontheedge]

Don't think you'll get hyperthermia from lack of heating quite the opposite!

[peterstorm1985]

Maintenance twice a year seems a bit excessive (Gas certificates are only needed annually for rental properties). My boiler is approx 35 years old and manages to have an every other year service and be fine (Fingers crossed). Obviously some makes are better than others and we've had quite a few replacement parts. Sounds like it may be a case that someone has decided that they are no longer economic to maintain and put them on the replacement schedule but hasn't manage to expedite the changeover.

I'd doubt we're quite at the hypothermia (not hyperthermia - very different thing) level yet but sensible for the elderly to wrap up well and take in plenty of hot drinks.

Compensation will depend upon what their contract says.

[silverfox]

Let me apologise in advance for what I'm about to say.

I have no idea where Hindemans Road is and presumably it has lots of old people in council accommodation?

My question when I hear/read of these horror stories is where are the children?

Presumably some of the children of these pensioners have done well in life?

Why is it always the council's responsiblilty to sort these matters out?

When my boiler breaks down I put my hand in my pocket. Where are the children of these poor folk? I bet they'll be there for the reading of the will.

And the idea that my old mum was freezing in the warmest autumn on record would shock me. I'd even take out a loan to fix the problem.

Confused...

[EDmummy]

I thought the flats with older people in Hindmans were run by a housing association. They always seem very well maintained and I find it hard to believe that the boilers have been allowed to fall into disrepair (not saying that I don't believe ou Tarot). Once yearly checks should be fine and carbon monoxide alarms are free from many gas providers.

Of course I hope that those who are affected get their boilers fixed as soon as possible!

[Penguin68]

Sadly modern boilers have a 10-15 year life, or less; it is the old fashioned, simple to build and maintain non condensing boilers that have a 20+ life. If all the boilers were installed much at the same time they may well all be failing much at the same time. One of the additional problems is that rules about where boilers can be sited have now changed, so often you cannot replace a boiler in a like-for-like situation any longer - this may also be causing problems in replacing them. They should need only annual checking - nowadays they are often not 'serviced' - but interfered with only if their emissions go above a certain level (which is a good diagnostic for a problem which 'servicing' - mainly cleaning the flue etc. - can address). Peterstorm's suggestion about economic repair issues also sounds sensible - indeed, if they are all failing similarly it may be that the part which is failing is no longer available, or too costly too replace.

Unfortunately it is at the onset of winter when problems with boilers often emerge, as they switch over from just water heating to space heating as well - just the time you don't want them to fail, of course, particularly if you are elderly. It is a good thing this has been a very mild (indeed balmy) autumn so far.

[Jeremy]

Boilers all failing at the same time is not a coincidence... people don't tend to turn their heating on until the winter, and winter is just starting (although it is unseasonably warm, so nobody's dying of hypothermia quite yet!)

Silverfox - council tenants don't pay for their own home repairs.

The delay does seem unacceptable, but it is prudent to inspect and attempt to fix the boilers before replacing. And since when did the council get anything done quickly?

[James Barber]

PLEASE GET IN TOUCH WITH ME. THIS IS PARTLY WHAT COUNCILLORS ARE FOR.

[the-e-dealer]

Yes "The Children" really should maintain Council Boilers. I expect they are ALL Corgi Registered!

And Before He says it ??????'s old boiler is over 30 years old and she is still going strong.

[EDmummy]

Just to confirm, these houses are managed by Orbit Housing Group and not the Council. Not that it makes a shred of difference but just offers the answer to who should be dealing with this in the first instance. If the housing association does not sort out the problem them I would assume the part of Southwark Housing that deals with contractual issues with housing associations should then become involved.

[????]

My old boiler is over 30, hot and still going strong.

[the-e-dealer]

???? You're the best!