When Lynda’s boiler started to leak and malfunction, she didn’t have the money to get it serviced. The problem persisted for a year until regional charity Groundwork Five Counties helped her get a free boiler repair through Cadent.
Lynda from Long Eaton is a single mother with three adult children, one who lives at home. She has arthritis in her knees, sleep apnoea, and works part-time with not much disposable income.
When the boiler, situated in an upstairs room, started leaking, it soaked the wall behind it and down into the kitchen, forming black mould in two rooms. Several times a day the boiler lost pressure and switched itself off, requiring Lynda to fill it with water and restart it, before it would inevitably switch off again.
She says: “We’d have to do that constantly. To take a shower, turn the heating on, do the washing up… It was awful in winter as we’d wake up in a freezing cold house every day. The mould was concerning me as it’s so bad for your health. I didn’t know where to go for help and had no money to fix it, and so it went on for over a year.”
A friend told her about the Green Doctor, a free energy and money saving advice service by charity Groundwork Five Counties and supported through a long-term partnership with the Cadent Foundation.
Green Doctor Cath visited Lynda at home and referred her to Cadent’s Services Beyond the Meter programme, which supports households living in vulnerable situations with a number of services, including free gas appliance safety checks and services.
Lynda says: “A Cadent engineer came out shortly after Cath applied, he found the issue quickly and replaced faulty parts. And just like that, it was all fixed for free and we can use our boiler again without hassle. I can dry out the walls and remove the mould, knowing it won’t come back. I’m over the moon, that peace of mind is priceless.”
Any home-owner living in vulnerable situations can apply for the Services Beyond the Meter scheme. Their services include appliance repairs and replacement, gas safety checks, carbon monoxide inspections, and more. Eligibility criteria include means-tested benefits, which Lynda was receiving.
She says: “The boiler is the biggest thing, but Cath helped us in so many other ways as well. She showed my son and I ways of saving energy like shorter showers and not leaving electronics on or on standby, all sorts of tips to save energy and money.
“She also gave us free LED light bulbs and is getting me a heated blanket and thermal curtains. On top of all that, she helped me to apply for an insulation grant, which I’m waiting on an outcome for.
“I didn’t know there was so much support available for households who need it, it’s so hard to find this information by yourself. The Green Doctor service is absolutely fantastic, I’m so grateful for Cath’s help.”
The Green Doctor service is fully funded and available to people of any age, background, and income in the East Midlands. For more information and to get a free home visit, visit the website: https://www.groundwork.org.uk/fivecounties/green-doctor
