My 84 year old Dad lives in a flat run by a housing association. They seem to have a company who come in and service/repair the gas boiler etc.

Anyway, they came Tuesday and found a gas leak. Gas was turned off. They provided him with heaters and went away. So no cooker, or hot water but at least temporary heaters.

Yesterday I phoned the company who seemed to have no plan in place but promised to send someone. Someone else turned up yesterday, made a few excuses and admitted they can't fix it either. No plan is in place for further work.

Am I right to expect that, after two days, they should have, at least a plan of action in place here. At the moment, it just seems that no-one is particularly interested.

Like I said he has a temporary gas heater but no cooker, no hot water so he cant wash.

Get on the phone with a recorder and don't get off it until they give you confirmation and ref number that someone will fix the leak and reconnect the gas supply.

These cowboys couldn't organise a peed up in a brewery, let alone manage vulnerable tenants and their home.

Incompetent bandits!

Hi

Which Housing Association?

This is shocking behaviour from your Dads Housing Association especially at his age when he should also be treated as Vulnerable.

Get on the phone (make sure you can record the call, if not immediately after the call follow it up in writing referring to the call and what was discussed) and do not ask but insist that you want to speak to the Senior Housing Manager and explain the Gas Issue also under the 'Right to Repair' you now require a list of there 'Nominated Contractors' and also the following:

1. Customer Care/Standards Policy (not the leaflet)

2. Complaints Policy (not the leaflet)

3. Repairs and Maintenance Policy (not the leaflet)

4. Right to Repair Policy (not the leaflet)

5. Gas Safety/Maintenance/Servicing Policy (not the leaflet)

6. Equality and Diversity Policy

Remember this Repair is a Qualifying Repair under the 'Right to Repair Scheme' and that the weather forecast which the Housing Association would be fully aware of does not help this situation nor make them look in a good light with the age of your Dad.

Something else I would advise your Dad to do (if you have not already done this) is to write a letter giving you full authority to act on his behalf in all dealing with the Housing Association and this must be noted in his housing file and with the housing associations contact centre.

Also if the Emergency Heating they gave (which I suspect was small cheap electric fan heaters) will increase the cost of your Dads Electricity bill inform them that you will want this refunded for this.

Couple of links for you:

Disrepair - using the right to repair scheme - https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/housing/repairs-in-rented-housing/disrepair-what-are-your-options-if-you-are-a-social-housing-tenant/disrepair-using-the-right-to-repair-scheme/

Right to repair scheme for council tenants - https://england.shelter.org.uk/housing_advice/repairs/right_to_repair_for_council_tenants

Right to repair scheme - https://www.communities-ni.gov.uk/right-repair-scheme

The Secure Tenants of Local Housing Authorities (Right to Repair) Regulations 1994 - http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1994/133/made

Gas Safety for Tenants – Health & Safety Executive (HSE)

http://www.hse.gov.uk/gas/domestic/faqtenant.htm

Gas Safety Landlords and Letting Agents – Health & Safety Executive (HSE)

http://www.hse.gov.uk/gas/domestic/faqlandlord.htm

Gas Safety Register

http://www.gassaferegister.co.uk/advice/renting_a_property/for_tenants.aspx

Thanks all - some good info here.

It did get sorted last week. However, this is after I'd phoned twice to kick off. Even after the first engineer visit, they sent a 2nd one who was the same i.e. wouldnt commit to anything.

It was only when I phoned the 2nd time. Each time I phoned it looked like the previous engineer had escalated nothing and there were no plans in place. Only when I really kicked off 2nd time did they send someone and get it sorted out one way or the other.,

If it'd been left then my Dad would have sat there for days and days with nothing being done.