A Northampton mother says she has been left at “breaking point” after her council home was left without heating during sub-zero temperatures during one of the coldest weeks in the last 12 months.

Aliye Galloway, who lives in a Northampton Partnership Homes (NPH) property in Carlton Road, Kingsley, said her family has been without reliable heating for days at a time during the coldest week of the winter, as temperatures dropped below freezing and the threat of Storm Goretti looming at the end of the week.

Northampton Partnership Homes is the arm’s-length management organisation responsible for managing council housing on behalf of West Northamptonshire Council.

“I’ve been left without heating since Saturday (January 3) and I still don’t know when it’s going to be fixed,” she said. “It’s freezing cold. We’re having to live in the bedrooms and even with layers and layers on, we’re still feeling the cold. My kids can’t even have showers properly because it’s too cold. Everyone’s just freezing. Even our dog is getting sick.”

Aliye says the problems stem from an air source heating system (pictured) installed in 2022 as part of a government-funded scheme to make homes more energy efficient. Aliye says the system has repeatedly broken down and contractors sent to repair it are often not qualified to work on it.

placeholder image — Aliye says the problems stem from an air source heating system (pictured) installed in 2022 as part of a government-funded scheme to make homes more energy efficient. Aliye says the system has repeatedly broken down and contractors sent to repair it are often not qualified to work on it.

Aliye, who is asthmatic and was recently discharged from hospital with pneumonia, said the situation is affecting her health and the wellbeing of her children, two of whom are registered disabled.

“I feel like I’m getting sick again, my asthma’s flared up and I just can’t cope,” she said. “My kids are complaining they’re cold. Everybody’s upset. I don’t want to be in this house anymore.”

She said temporary electric heaters were provided but are unsafe for her autistic son and do not adequately heat the property.

The problems stem from an air source heating system installed in 2022 as part of a government-funded scheme to make homes more energy efficient. Aliye said the system has repeatedly broken down and contractors sent to repair it are often not qualified to work on it.

“I’ve probably had engineers out more than 50 times since March last year,” she said. “Most of them are gas engineers. They’re not trained to touch air source systems, so they come out and then just leave.”

She said her heating failed again on November 18, leaving the family without heat for four days, before breaking down once more on Saturday.

Aliye said she has now been told the system may be removed and replaced with a gas boiler, but no clear timescale has been given.

“Nothing is definite. Quotes need approving and no one has contacted me to explain what’s happening or when,” she said.

She criticised the response from the council and its contractors, saying there had been no direct contact or offer of alternative accommodation.

“If I didn’t pay my rent, they’d be all over me straight away,” she said. “But when the shoe’s on the other foot and I need help, they’re nowhere to be seen.”

“They have a duty of care to make sure we have sufficient heating. I’m the tenant – it’s not my responsibility to chase their contractors.”

“The council haven’t even bothered to call me to ask what they can do to make the situation better,” she said. “They’ve shown no compassion at all. I’m at breaking point. I’ve had enough.”

West Northamptonshire Council and Northampton Partnership Homes were contacted for comment on January 5 but had not responded more than 24 hours later at the time of publication.