Residents in an independent living flat have been left with inadequate heating since February.

Anchor Housing Trust is being accused yet again for neglecting the needs of the residents of Kiln House at Squares Quay in Kingsbridge.

In January residents of four flats reported having problems with their storage heating and Anchor responded by installing a quantum heating system, which resident Frances Peters says doesn’t work.

She has tried to contact Anchor on numerous occasions, but says their communication is ‘abysmal’ and has only received automated replies.

Anchor argues that it had to install the heater to oblige with environmental regulations, but Mrs Peters says the new heater is incompatible with their heating services.

Mrs Peters explains that four out of the 14 flats have been left with no little to no heating since then, and Anchor has plans to put in an all new heating system in all 14 flats. She is worried, however, that winter is fast approaching and cold weather is only about three months away, and thinks the likelihood of the flats being adequately equipped for the winter is slim.

Residents have been left in the dark about the plans, and at a housing and maintenance meeting on Friday, July 27, Anchor was still unable to advise residents of a date when the work will commence to upgrade the electrical intake rooms and install the new quantum storage heaters to the rest of the flats.

Mrs Peters said: “The proposal to change the heating has still not been signed off, therefore we are in the same position as we were in February - without adequate heating.

“I realise we do not need it currently, but we are only approximately three months from winter setting in and it is not looking very positive!”

On behalf of another resident who has been affected, Mrs Peters said: “Her husband was dying from terminal cancer and they were without heating in their lounge. With the help of another neighbour they purchased an electric fan heater.

“When she phoned customer services about the matter, they advised her to try and stay in the bedroom area with the door closed to keep in the heat. She said she felt totally abandoned by Anchor as she herself is disabled.

“Her husband was very ill during Storm Emma, and died at the end of February.”

An Anchor spokesperson said at the end of July: “Anchor apologises for the delay in getting the heating up to date at Kiln House, but the delays were due to LOT 20 legislation which came into force this year. This stated:

“‘From January 1, 2018, all local space heaters manufactured for sale in the EU which use electricity, gas or liquid fuels must comply with a minimum efficiency standard. The aim of this legislation is to remove inefficient technologies and reduce the energy used by the products that heat our homes, helping to achieve our overall carbon reduction targets.’

“Due to this situation, we have had to look at this estate differently based on how it is wired up. Kiln House has communal off-peak supply and a peak supply which is timed from 5.30pm to 10pm.

“At the moment the new heaters only charge during the peak time. The residents pay towards the heating via a standing charge.

“After a number of visits from various manufacturers and contractors, Anchor has arranged to remove residents from the communal supply and upgrade their meter through the supplier to dual tariff.

“This will ultimately be a cost saving for both the residents and the scheme where they live. This work has been authorised and is due to start in the next few weeks. The Anchor scheme manager will alert the residents with the precise date once this has been agreed with the supplier.”

At the time of going to print more than two weeks later, Frances said there hasn’t been a word spoken about such plans.

She said: “With this timer setting they’ve got in place, they’ve managed to save a lot of money, but they’re going to have to bite the bullet and pay the money to update the system sometime.”

The heating issue is brought to light after we reported on a broken lift at Kiln House in early May.

On Thursday, July 26, lift engineers attended the site yesterday to commence work on the elevator lift which has been out of service since mid-March. Two residents have since moved out of Kiln House because their inability to move from their top floor flat was too debilitating.

The refurbishment finished last Wednesday, and residents are absolutely “elated” to have their lift up and running after almost five months.