A DISABLED man has been left without a constant supply of hot water for three months, forcing him to rely on a kettle for taking showers or pay for 'high' peak tariff.
Joe Weston, a tenant of Sovereign Network Group Housing Association, who has been enduring a faulty immersion heater has described the situation as “devastating".
Despite repeated attempts to resolve the issue, Mr Weston has faced months of frustration and inadequate responses from the housing association, which has left him in cold waters for months.
The 54-year-old, who has health and learning difficulties, lives at Winterthur Way in Basingstoke. He said his immersion heater broke down in May, causing difficulties during the overnight off-peak supply hours.
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Joe Weston and his faulty water heater (Image: Newsquest)
Despite multiple visits from engineers, there doesn't seem to be an end to his problems.
The lack of hot water during the off-peak hours has had a significant impact on his life, causing him additional financial strain and exacerbating his mental health issues.
"I'm so fed up," Mr Weston said. "I use a booster to heat the water, which costs a lot of money. My smart meter tells me how expensive it is, so l've resorted to boiling water in a kettle to have strip washes and to wash the dishes. l only have a couple of showers a week because of the cost.
"I've called them several times. One of the responses l got was 'please, don't boil the kettle to wash, you could cause an injury to yourself', which l found very patronising."
Mr Weston said the ordeal has caused him stress over the past three months.
"How hard is it to get a person to change the bottom element in an immersion heater?" he asked.
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"Each time when I speak to them l stay calm, but l want to blow my top and let rip, but I know it isn't the person's fault in the call centre.
"l suffer with mental health issues and it really has affected my anxiety and wellbeing. But they don't seem to give a damn about their residents. That's how l feel about it."
A Sovereign Network Group Housing Association spokesperson said: "Hot water has been available to our customer throughout this time as the element that needs to be replaced is only for the overnight off-peak supply. The peak tariff water heater is working and we will provide compensation for the time he has used peak tariff electricity.
"An electrician disconnect the electrical supply this morning ready for the plumbing team to drain down and replace the faulty element."
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