A FAMILY-of-three was left without heating and hot water for 12 days.
Mum Donna Marsh, 35, had to wrap her crying children, six and nine, in coats and lived off microwave meals and Pot Noodles.
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The kids were then sent to her mum’s house due to the horrendous living conditions this month after a gas leak in Cheadle, Staffordshire.
Donna also bathed herself at her friends’ homes and suffered a chest infection as a result of the cold.
She told StokeonTrentLive: “I had to explain to my children – while they were crying and wearing coats – why it was so cold.
“The house I am living in is horrendous and I can’t meet mine and my children’s needs. We had no hot water or heating.
“I’ve got arthritis so if I don’t have heat then my joints will inflame and I can’t move which means the housework hasn’t been done. It’s got me down and depressed.
“The dishes are still all stacked up and I couldn’t do anything. My physical and mental health is not very good.”
She is also living with a hole in the roof, a leak under the bath and toilet, a leak under the kitchen sink and a cooker that wasn’t plumbed in properly.
And the problems have been ongoing for two years, she said.
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Gas inspectors told her she was a 24-hour priority list for gas and electric but no one came.
And when someone did turn up days later, they told housing firm Your Housing there was no access and closed down the claim.
Donna has demanded action, adding: “I should not be without gas and hot water. I pay rent every month. It felt like it was my fault.
“When you try to explain to your children, you feel like a failure when you’ve only got microwave meals and Pot Noodles.
“The children have been very upset. They have been through a lot and it’s hard on them. “
Her repairs are still outstanding and are booked in for the end of May.
Your Housing apologised to Donna.
A spokesman said: “The gas installation was isolated after the annual gas service on April 1. At this point, Miss Marsh was offered temporary heating, which she declined.
“Unfortunately, due to an error by the engineer, a follow-on job was not raised as it should have been, which led to the delay. We have offered Miss Marsh our sincere apologies and financial compensation for the delay and inconvenience.
“An appointment was made with Miss Marsh for April 12 when the repairs were completed, and heating and hot water restored.
“Our compliance operations manager contacted Miss Marsh on the morning of April 12 to ensure her that the work was a priority and the appointment that day would be kept.
“The contract manager for the gas contractor also attended the property on April 12 to make a formal apology. Your Housing Group is working closely with the gas contractor to ensure there is no repeat of this type of failure.”
“We have checked on the status of the repairs scheduled for May, and can confirm that they will go ahead as planned.”
This post first appeared on thesun.co.uk
