Reading Pensioner Faces Six Years of Heating Issues

Tina Williams, a 70-year-old registered disabled pensioner residing in Reading, has reported intermittent heating problems for six years. These issues began after the council replaced her gas heater with an air source heat pump. Ms. Williams expressed a desire for a permanent resolution, stating she wanted someone to fix it “once and for all”. According to Ms. Williams, Reading Borough Council’s attempts to repair the system have been unsuccessful, as the heating consistently ceases to function within a few days of each repair. On Wednesday, the council issued a statement: “A member of our Housing team has spoken to the resident this afternoon and arranged for the contractor to return to the property today as a matter of urgency.” Ms. Williams recounted her experience, stating: “I’ve been accused of fiddling with it.” She further elaborated on the recurring nature of the problem: “I’ve had so many different contractors – they come, they fiddle, it then works for a few days and then it stops working.” She concluded, “It’s just back to square one, all the time.” The air source heat pump was installed by the council in 2018, and Ms. Williams indicated that issues with the unit have persisted since its installation. In instances of heating failure, she reported using an electric blanket for warmth, but on occasions of extreme cold, she resorted to going to bed earlier. Expressing her frustration, she stated: “In this day and age, you should be warm in your own house.” She added: “I don’t think I should be treated like this, it’s just ridiculous.” After the most recent malfunction, the authority declared that the work had “now been completed – the heating and the hot water systems are functioning correctly.” However, the heater subsequently ceased operation later that same night. Reflecting on the ongoing situation, she remarked: “It’s just the same old thing they come they fiddle with it they say it is fixed I just knew from the bottom of my stomach that this is going to happen again.” She further articulated her desire for comfort: “I’m 70 I want to be in my flat and get up in the night and go to the toilet [and] it’s going to be warm.”