End Fuel Poverty – Shian Housing Association listen to your tenants!

This Monday, 27th January 2014, we had a small demonstration outside Shian Housing Association in Hackney.

We are demanding that they replace totally inefficient electric boilers with something that works well for a three bedroom property or a larger property.

One member of the Haringey Housing Action Group told the group that for the last three years she has been having to heat her home with the NIBE Fighter 360p electric boiler, installed by her landlords Shian. The boiler does not heat her home sufficiently, nor provide enough hot water, and yet her bills are running at about £5 or £10 a day. Her house is in a new building, and one would expect it to be efficient and cheaper to heat.

We looked at the boiler up on the internet and found out that many other complaints have been made about this boiler, and some housing associations have replaced them and compensated their tenants. We also talked to other families living in the block, and found they too had similar experiences. Meanwhile Shian are blaming the tenants’ use of the boiler!!

A number of the tenants have written to Shian to demand they take action. Meanwhile they are suffering yet another winter in a poorly heated home.

At the demonstration Shian refused to talk to us to explain how they would proceed with our member’s situation.  However, a member of their staff acknowledged that the problem of high heating bills was a problem made worse by the boiler. She said that previous communication shouldn’t have pointed the finger at tenants and their individual energy use.

This is only the start of our actions. We will keep up the pressure. Watch this space for news of our progress.

 

 

January 29, 2014  Tags: , ,   Posted in: HHAG ACTIONS