Woman left without heating supplies for 11 months

A pensioner living in the north-west of England was left without proper heating supplies and water heaters for nearly a year, it has been revealed.

According to a report on This Is Lancashire, Mildred Whittaker's boiler broke down in December 2009 and she did not get a replacement for 11 months, despite having reported the problem. This meant she suffered the worst winter in 30 years without having hot water or heating. Rather, she had to rely on a small electric fire and regular trips to her son's home.

The 82-year-old widow, whose husband Bert died a quarter of a century ago, contacted Warm Front, which is an initiative established to improve energy efficiency in poor homes, but was told she would have to wait.

Commenting on her lack of heating supplies and water heaters, she said: "When it was very cold last winter, I spent some time with my son who is also in Atherton, but other than that I just had to keep wrapped up warm, there was not much else I could do.

"I couldn't be at someone else's house all the time. I was disgusted at the way I was treated. When my daughter-in-law complained, they just apologised, but I still had to wait.

"They told me a lot of people were in the same situation, it wasn't satisfactory."

Meanwhile, Warm Front has issued an apology to Ms Whittaker and admitted the treatment she received was not up to the necessary standard.

A spokesman added that according to the organisation's records, she had new heating installed in her property in November 2010. However, the delay was "unacceptable" and it was caused by an administrative error with the original survey details.

Warm Front went on to state that of its 2.1 million customers, the majority were satisfied with the service provided.

Consumers will be eager to ensure their heating does not break down this winter, as icy conditions and freezing temperature have been affecting the country since as early as November.


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