The family of an elderly grandmother with lung cancer has experienced delays in repairing the heater in their home.
Relatives of Margaret Davies, 82, claim they were told the interruption in supplies to the other 34 apartments on the block was not worth it.
Halton Housing paid for the heating, but Margaret’s daughter, Lynn Cowsill, says the “dry heat” is not good for her mother’s chest and the heaters are a fire hazard. Liverpool Echo Reports
Lynn, 57, said, “Halton Housing will pay for the heating.
“I don’t mind money.
“We want the mother’s time to be alive to be comfortable – throwing money is going to be of no use if she dies, if her COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) flares up and we lose her.”
“Halton Housing will give ‘compensation’ for using extra electricity, but it won’t make them more comfortable.”
Lynn said the problems had arisen since the work was done before Christmas and are believed to be due to the cauldrons at Brunswick House on Water Street in Runcorn, where Margaret lives.
Margaret is now facing the last months of her life and her daughter and son want her to live comfortably.
Lynn added, “Now she has lung cancer.
“They [doctors] offered her treatment and she declined.
“She said ‘use the money for the youngsters’.
“She will support everyone else.”
Lynn added that she found her mother’s heating situation “gross these days.”
Halton Housing said it was working to resolve the situation.
A Halton Housing spokeswoman said: “Ensuring the safety and wellbeing of our customers is our top priority.
“While we are unable to comment on the specifics of each case, we are working with the client and their family to resolve this situation and we will do everything we can to minimize the problems that are caused.”
