Tenant's blood boiling due to hot water wait
A CHECKOUT worker says he is "disgusted" to be facing two weeks without hot water after the council struggled to cope with mass boiler breakdowns.
Robert Evans, 57, was told by a council employee to "boil a kettle" after he asked her what he was meant to do if he wanted a wash.
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Robert Evans
"I think it is disgusting, to be honest with you," said Mr Evans, who lives alone in a council house in Heol Calfin, Caereithin, and works at the Best Way cash and carry in Llansamlet.
"Last night I came home from work after doing a late shift which finished at 8pm.
"I always have a bath when I get in because I do not have a shower — but when I turned on the tap there was no hot water."
He phoned the council's emergency line but was told his situation was not an emergency because his heating still worked.
"I was given another number and the lady on the other end of the line said she could book me in for an appointment.
"At this point I almost lost my temper and said 'there's not a lot you can do without hot water, is there?'
"She replied: 'the only thing I can advise you to do until then is boil a kettle'.
"I thought the appointment would be in one or two days but she said it would be February 14 — in 12 days."
Swansea Council said Mr Evans faced a wait for an appointment because it had been the busiest week for housing repairs since the cold snap of November 2010, which saw the most widespread national snowfall since 1993.
After being contacted by the Evening Post last Friday, the council called Mr Evans and rearranged another appointment for tomorrow, meaning he would have been without hot water for just under than a week.
A spokesman said: "Our housing repairs team took 1,646 calls and staff also had to deal with 338 emergency out-of-hours calls.
"On top of that there were also almost 500 repair appointments booked.
"Given the very cold weather people will understand tenants without heating and hot water were dealt with first.
"Mr Evans's heating was operating normally but he was without hot water.
"The advice we gave Mr Evans to boil his kettle to use for washing was intended as a sympathetic and practical response to his predicament but we did arrange to visit him on February 8."
8 Comments
by Beth251
Monday, February 27 2012, 4:29PM
“I don't think his social circumstances are a reason to judge whether or not he should wait for his boiler fixed - expecting hot running water is hardly a asking for a 'First Class Service' is it, I should think it's the least we would all expect after working a long shift.
From expereinces of friends and family the council are extremely lax on repairs and maintenence, perhaps the reason for so many breakdown now the weather has hit?
And isn't it lovely to see that after a little media the attention they were able to find a solution. I've never lived in coucil accommodation but I have worked for them, and on the whole I found them to be lazy and uncaring. One man would actually sleep at his desk, and another almost had a young girl evicted after failing to respond to several letters sent from her university landlord. Good on Rob Evans for giving them a kick up the backside !”
by siarad2
Tuesday, February 07 2012, 6:53PM
“I recall, when I had cancer, I wasn't allowed to wash for three months, it's marvellous what talcum powder can do.
i imagine he has a central heating system beyond my wildest dreams but the great god CO2 has deemed no storage tanks, therefore no second line of defence with an electric immersion heater.
Modern living becomes more & more precarious.”
by hobbles
Tuesday, February 07 2012, 6:29PM
“If its that urgent use YELLOW PAGES there are plenty inthe private sector who will certainly rush round at aPRICE!”
by BobEvans2011
Tuesday, February 07 2012, 6:09PM
“These people in social housing expect nothing less than a First Class service. Clearly the council should have had someone around with in 2 hours to meet their demanding expectations. Why should they care they are not picking up the bill.
Perhaps if it is such an inconvienience for him he should have called someone out and paid for it himself.”
by TaipeiSteve
Tuesday, February 07 2012, 5:31PM
“When minor problems like this become news, I realize how spoiled we are in this country. Of course, it is convenient and pleasant to take a bath before sleeping, but it is really not a big deal if we cannot. If you are so pristine, why not take a shower at a friend or relative's place until the boiler is fixed.
Whenever I trek in the Himalayas, I only have the occasional cold showers and often no bathing at all for weeks. It is just a matter of getting used to it and learning to see matters in prospective.”
by swanseajock
Tuesday, February 07 2012, 4:51PM
“Perhaps he should decide who should be put down the list so that the council can sort his boiler. He has got heating, it is unfortunate that he has to boil a kettle for a wash, but I am sure that it was a sympathetic suggestion made by the council employee. People are so touchy”
by phyllis27011
Tuesday, February 07 2012, 3:18PM
“I do hope he receives compensation for the time without a working boiler.
When your late with your rent theyre straight on it!”
by siarad2
Tuesday, February 07 2012, 3:10PM
“The council is right it's not an emergency.
You can easily boil a couple of kettles to pour in a bowl to stand in to wash all-over, I've done it myself.”