'I can't stay here' - Social housing tenant feels forced to move out over leaky boiler

A social housing tenant has hit out at her landlords due to her boiler leaking on and off for the last two years – forcing her to find alternative living arrangements.
Katherine Munro's leaky boilerKatherine Munro's leaky boiler
Katherine Munro's leaky boiler

Katherine Munro has lived at the Lancaster Court apartment block off Preston Road in Chorley for the last 14 years.

Six years ago new boilers were fitted in the social housing flats by landlords Places for People – but since then the problems have mounted for Katherine.

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The Scotland-native said: “It’s been flooding for the last two years. The boilers were installed six years ago and after a few years people started to get flooded.”

Lancaster Court apartments in Chorley where Katherine livesLancaster Court apartments in Chorley where Katherine lives
Lancaster Court apartments in Chorley where Katherine lives

Katie revealed how she was also put up in the Hartwood Hotel for a month in August 2017 due to boiler flooding issues in the building.

She said: “It’s a disgrace. They’ve been out four times since Christmas. Engineers fix it but the problem keeps coming back. I can’t stay here. I’m going to have a nervous breakdown. I can’t live here anymore. I don’t know what I’m going to be coming back to when I leave.”

Katherine explained how the water starts around the boiler and then starts to build up towards her two bedrooms in the flat.

The boiler also sprung a leak on Christmas Eve last year.

The boiler and a plungerThe boiler and a plunger
The boiler and a plunger
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“It happened on Christmas Eve. They told me they couldn’t come out until 4pm and I told them that’s not good enough.

“Through a lot of phone calls they came our early but it was so stressful; I had presents to wrap, plans to get ready [but] I’m just kept waiting and waiting.”

Katherine is now ready to move into her new home and in the meantime is praying that her boxed up belongings don’t get damaged.

She said: “I move in May but it might not be ready until June. I wake up to puddles. Until I move in I feel homeless it’s that bad.”

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A spokesman for Places for People said: “We always strive to provide places where people genuinely want to live and are sorry that Miss Munro has experienced a service below our usual high standards.

“Although we have always acted quickly when boiler issues have been reported at Lancaster Court, we recognise the inconvenience caused to residents by cylinder issues in the past. We have now introduced a regular servicing programme at Lancaster Court to identify and resolve any issues that could potentially cause disruption to residents."

Katherine was offered £75 compensation for her troubles, but she refused saying it doesn’t nearly go far enough.