Northampton mum washing up in the shower after her council boiler is left broken for months

  • Watch a video report by ITV News Anglia's Graham Stothard

A mother says she feels she's been left abandoned in a freezing home - and has resorted to washing up her crockery in a bath - because of a boiler that has been broken all winter.

Adele Batchelor, along with her children, Cohen, 12, and nine-year-old Imogen, have been living without central heating for three months after the boiler in their Northampton flat broke.

"We've been without heating and hot water. For the last three, four months, [since] I reported it. We've had no replies - absolutely nothing, it's been dreadful," she told ITV News Anglia.

She has been left to wash up her plates and pots and pans under an electric shower, admitting "it's not ideal".

Ms Batchelor said the family have been left to wash up their crockery under the electric shower. Credit: ITV News Anglia

The house is managed by Northampton Partnership Homes, on behalf of the council. Ms Batchelor said despite a number of calls to NPH, nothing has been done.

However when ITV News Anglia approached NPH the company said it was the first that it had heard of the issue.

A spokesman said: "Prior to this we had not received any reports of the broken boiler, or the lack of hot water or heating in her home.

"We have arranged for our gas engineers to visit Ms Batchelor's home [on Thursday] to inspect the boiler and make any necessary repairs."

Ms Batchelor said this heater had been the only source of heat for the family. Credit: ITV News Anglia

The family said they had had to rely on just one heater to stay warm this winter.

"Ultimately we just all stay in the same room, put the heating on," said Ms Batchelor.

"At night we all have to sleep in dressing gowns. The children are wondering what's going on? Why have we not got heating?

"We are losing patience now."

'Living hell': Leaky ceiling collapses into flat where mushrooms grow in mould
In November 2021, Ms Batchelor said a water leak led to part of her ceiling collapsing. Credit: ITV News Anglia

It's not the first time Adele has encountered problems with the flat.

In November 2021, a leak caused part of her ceiling to collapse.

Northampton Partnership Homes told ITV News Anglia that was well as someone fixing the boiler, a repairs manager would also be in touch to discuss other issues with the flat.

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