Tenants turn up the heat on homes agency

A MOVE to turn off heating and hot water at midnight on a Finsbury estate has been halted amid fears for the health of the sick and elderly.
The cost-cutting environmental initiative to reduce heating from 24 to 18 hours was launched by Homes for Islington (HfI), the council’s housing agency, at the Spa Green estate in September. But just before Christmas the heat was switched back to 24 hours after residents on the listed estate protested that they were cold not just after midnight, but also during the day.
With more cold weather on the way, HfI may now be forced to examine the systems for thousands of other residents on dozens of estates in the borough where the heating goes off at midnight.
Betty Knight, 74, chairwoman of the Spa Green tenants’ management group, said there had been no consultation when HfI decided to turn the heating off at midnight almost four months ago.
“Not everyone is asleep after midnight,” she said. “A lot of elderly people don’t sleep and need to get up for various reasons. People who are ill need heating during the night. And what about mums with young babies, and night workers? There was just no consideration.”
Residents forced to use electric heaters complained that on the coldest nights they were paying huge bills on top of the almost £20 a week for gas central heating bills.
Mrs Knight added that HfI has just had installed a new £1.5million heating system for the estate, which she claims does not appear to work.
“How else can you explain the fact that instead of a comfortable temperature of 24°C during the day, residents were reporting figures as low as 21°C.”

Ray Whatley, 66, a retired BT engineer, has lived at Spa Green since the 1950s. He said: “This is the first time in 50 years there has been a heating problem. Since the cylinders were taken away the flats have gotten colder.”
Margaret Tole, 71, a retired BT worker, said: “We were told the dial on the radiators must be on five for the heat to kick in. Then one of the workers said the dial cannot regulate it.”
Tenant James Crawford, 70, is disabled due to respiratory disease, and his wife Joyce, 78, has heart trouble.
Mr Crawford said: “It has been so cold lately that my wife has needed a bath late at night just to keep warm. We had to heat water on the cooker.”
Bobby McSeveney, 62, who has emphysema and osteoporosis, had to run two fan heaters to keep warm during the night.
“It cost me a fortune in heating bills and it’s just not fair,” she added.
The estate’s manager, Thomas Cooper, said he has never known so much anger over an issue. “Many of these residents had threatened a riot at the Town Hall if the heating problem wasn’t resolved.
“The big worry is that HfI could switch the heating off again at midnight at any time.
“I’ve also had dozens of complaints that the new heating system doesn’t give out the same amount of heat as the old.”
HfI says that all estates will eventually have heating switched off after midnight under a “sustainability strat­egy” which includes trying to improve energy conservation and reduce carbon emissions.
Residents are now trying to be reimbursed for the time the heating was off and they were still paying.
Mr Cooper said: “Heating bills have gone up by 3 per cent but the service itself has gone down by 25 per cent.”
Council leader Terry Stacy, said: “Following a number of complaints over the Christmas holiday from residents I am demanding a thorough review of the heating policy in the new year.”
HfI said Spa Green heating system was overhauled in the summer and the boiler remains on 24/7 until final checks are complete. “HfI are committed to ensuring that communal heating systems have boilers in action between six in the morning and midnight, between September and May,” said a spokeswoman.
Any HfI resident experiencing faults or concerns with their heating can call HfI Direct, free, on 0800 694 3344.

PETER GRUNER and JANINE DYER