Faulty boiler leaves Darlington grandfather with no heat or hot water since Christmas (From Darlington and Stockton Times)

Faulty boiler leaves Darlington grandfather with no heat or hot water since Christmas

5:00pm Tuesday 19th March 2013 in News By Hannah Bryan, Reporter (Darlington)

A GRANDFATHER has spent the last three months without heating or hot water after council contractors failed to fix his faulty boiler.

Retired gardener, Fred Kipling, from Darlington, has been without hot water and heating since Christmas last year due to his faulty boiler, which Darlington Borough Council contractors have declared too dangerous to use.

For his daily shave, the 72-year-old, who lives at a council-owned sheltered housing scheme at Wesley Court, Yarm Road, carries a kettle full of boiling water from his kitchen to his bathroom and has to use a costly electric heater to heat his home.

The grandfather-of-six said council contractors have been to replace about eight different parts of the boiler, which is three years old, only for it to break down again days later.

“I have had about five days of heat and hot water since Christmas,” he said. “The last time they came was about two weeks' ago when they stuck a “dangerous, do not use sticker” on it and told me not to use it.

“The worst thing is the water, I can have a shower, but it is freezing.”

In a bid to stay warm, Mr Kipling has been using an electric heater, which he says is costing him double the price.

“They have come out about 17 times and have taken it to bits,” he said. “The amount of money spent on parts, they could have replaced the whole boiler.”

His daughter, Carol McDermott, said: “My dad isn’t one to moan or make a fuss, but it is frustrating now. It has been the worst time for it as it’s been freezing.

“It is ridiculous how long it has gone on. It seems like nobody communicates with each other.

"Dad is lucky as he has got a good support network of people who can keep pushing to get it fixed.

“It could be happening to other people who don’t have people to keep pushing like us."

A council spokesperson said: “We are aware of the unfortunate problems that Mr Kipling has been experiencing with his boiler.

“It is regrettable that a number of different problems have occurred. We have been waiting for a new part to arrive. This is now here and will be fitted tomorrow (Wednesday, March 20).”

“We sincerely apologise to Mr Kipling for the inconvenience he has been caused.”

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