City Council and Kier

[NikkiNova]

Thursday 30th November 0900hrs I contacted the Sheffield homes (Council) 24hr repair line regarding my central heating system, not working they assured me it would take priority as the premises do not have a back up gas fire. Friday 1st I contacted them again at lunch time reminding them that I have a one year old baby, they assured me again someone would come out, by 1630 they said I should ring the out of hours repair line, which I did someone came out to look, but could not under take the repair, after speaking to the supervisor on duty I realise that I was wasting my time(being told they are not in a position to undertake major repairs out of hours Because the Council will not pay them any additional money), I was then told it would go on a worksheet first thing Monday 4th morning, which still did not guarantee the repair being done before Wednesday 6th.How the so called city council, and Kier can leave anyone in a position of not having heating or hot water for this amount of time is beyond a joke, specially in view of the babies age.

[Shazbat]

I love their attitude when the hot water goes, that "well, you've got a kettle". It wouldn't be the first time I've been told that over the years. However, when my heating went they came out twice in one night and on the second occasion replaced the valve in my boiler that was stopping it heating the rads. I don't remember being asked if I had a fire.

 

But I find that if I have to call them out at night you always have to put the call in the next day yourself to be on the safe side, as it seems the out-of-hours workmen very rarely do it even when they say they will. Last year, after a night call to an electrical fault, I spent 7 hours in November without any power (ok, it was during the day but it was bloody cold and why should that make a difference?). I'd already followed the night call up at 9.00, reported it again at about 10.00 when my TV and radio went haywire, and when my fridge and boiler joined in I rang again at 10.45 when I had to turn the mains off. At 3.00 in the afternoon when it started to go dark, I had to ring again and ask what constituted an emergency!

[9xyg32]

think this couyld be a breach of contract.

[tinkabel]

I love their attitude when the hot water goes, that "well, you've got a kettle".

 

Oh yes i remember been told this too lol!! Stupid idiots had turned my gas supply off instead of the vacant flat opposite, when i asked them if this was possible i got told 'no because you still have water coming out of your taps' Although i was one of the lucky ones and they came out to me after half a dozen phone calls, 3 hours later.

[tinkabel]

think this couyld be a breach of contract.

 

I thought this too, don't they have a legal obligation to fix any heating problems urgently if you have a young child? I know when i was left with none and i mentioned the baby they said oh in the case we'll be out within the next 4 hours. I'd definately make a complaint and also dig out your tenency agreement too.

[babycakesuk]

You do have a right to repair, depending on the nature of the repair it must be carried out within a certain amount of time, so long as the contractor (Keir) has been able to access the property.

 

I am sure heating in winter is an esstential item, but I may be wrong.

 

The info is not available on the Sheffield Homes website as they are updating the information, This was last checked on the 2nd November so the new leaflet may be now available. Contact your office and ask about your 'Right To Repair', if they have breached this you could get a contractor out and charge it to Sheffield Homes (conditions apply).

 

http://www.sheffieldhomes.org.uk/information-leaflets/repairs--maintenance/right-to-repair

[cgksheff]

Sheffield Homes Maintenance Charter says:

 

CATEGORY “A” URGENT REPAIRS WITHIN 24 HOURS

These include heating breakdowns where you have no other way of

heating your home ...

[dkhank]

i had an interview with s. homes last week in a lovely box overlooking sufc pitch. how much did that cost them. anyone attend on here? I did LONG STORY!!

[Miss_S_83]

Ok so this is an old post but I just HAD to reply!!! I worked at Kier as a temp last year for the gas section at Manor Lane and alse in the call centre bit in Derwent House.... near Xmas 2005 so cold, and you would not believe the number of staff we had, about 3 of us answering calls so people could be trying to get through all day, plus they shoved some temps one (no names but one was so dumb bless her I think they sacked her in the end), and she did not have a clue what she was talking about. It seemed every call was someone who was elderly/ disabled/ pregnant/ young child and they seriously did not have the staff to cover all jobs but I do agree it is ridiculous because before I worked there I had problems with them and I think they just need to sort out their staffing problems ASAP!! They say hot if you have heating but no hot water it is not priorty, and if you have no central heating working but do have a gas fire you are also not priorty!!!!

Wouldn't like to be working there this year lol!

[Plain Talker]

for what it's worth, why did Kier take on the contract from the city council if they cannot deal with the amount of work that goes their way?

 

I'm rather concerned, myself about this situation, because my own Housing Association is now using Kier as a contractor for OUR repairs...

 

I have to say, at the beginning of november, my central heating boiler died, in a very major way.

 

I will give the contractors who came their due, the y came out swiftly and discovered what the problem was. Something called a heat exchanger had gone "kaput"

 

this was when the fun started. The part that the boiler needed was obsolete, which necessitated a new CH boiler.

 

this took a week to arrive, and just under a day to install. they had to cut anoother hole in my wall for the flue, as the old boiler flue and the new one didn't match, but they patched it all together fairly well.

 

so I now have a working CH system, (thank god!) all I am left with is a bit of "kettling" and rattling when the pump fires up...

 

can I also address the issu e of "if you have a gas fire you aren't priority" thing is, what about people who have mobility difficulties, and need warmth through the house? Having heat just in one room isn't much cop, in the 21st century, TBH.