Left without heating or hot water for 10 weeks (From Bournemouth Echo)

Disabled pensioner Angela Dennett was left without heating or hot water for 10 weeks

10:03am Monday 21st January 2013 in News By Melanie Vass

BOILER ORDEAL: Angela Dennett, 68, struggles to keep warm. Picture: Sally Adams

A DISABLED pensioner, left without heating or hot water for 10 weeks, has had her problem fixed – thanks to the Daily Echo.

Angela Dennett, who suffers from a severe form of arthritis, was left shivering in her Ensbury Park park home since her boiler broke on November 10 last year.

However, a Carrillion engineer finally visited the house at the weekend to resolve the issue.

She said: “It just goes to show – it took the Echo getting involved to get this sorted.

“It’s been so cold here, and it’s such a relief to have the heating back on.”

The boiler, which had been installed for free under the Government’s Warm Front scheme, was within its warranty period so when it stopped working, Mrs Dennett rang Warm Front to report the problem.

Three days later, they sent an engineer from its partner Carillion but he said the boiler needed a new part.

From then, Mrs Dennett was given an endless list of excuses as to why it was not fixed.

With Dorset currently in the grip of a freezing cold snap and the threat of further snow, Mrs Dennett had resorted to keeping warm by wrapping herself in blankets, huddling next to two convector heaters and keeping her gas oven on.

Speaking before her heating was fixed, she said: “I was originally told it would take three to five working days for them to get the part they needed.

“Since then, I’ve just had various excuses. First of all they said they couldn’t get it, then they said it needed to come from China. I just keep being fobbed off.

“Nobody can believe I have gone this long without heating or hot water.

“Because I’m disabled I can’t even move about very much to keep myself warm. I’ve had a chest infection since before Christmas, which is taking a long time to go.

“I’m feeling pretty low and frustrated.”

A statement from Carrillion said: “This has clearly been a difficult time for Mrs Dennett and we apologise for any convenience that has been caused.”

It said the company has been experiencing a high level of calls, with winter its busiest time of year.

It added: “Our engineer has attended Mrs Dennett’s property and was able to restore heating and hot water provision on Saturday and a further visit will be arranged to ensure a complete fix of the boiler.”