Pensioners in an Angus sheltered housing complex were forced to wrap in blankets in their homes after being stuck with no heating for weeks.
Work to repair the central heating at Blackfriars Court in Montrose was initially due to take two to three weeks.
However some six weeks later they were still waiting for the heating to go back on leading to the situation being described as “appalling” and “ridiculous”.
Residents were given portable heaters and some have been keeping them on 24 hours-a-day despite worries over racking up expensive energy bills.
Some have been wearing their jackets in the house or sitting wrapped in a blanket while others are going to bed in their dressing gowns or putting extra sheets on the bed.
One resident said she bought an electric blanket and was going to bed immediately after her dinner so she could snuggle up and get some warmth.
Resident Ted Smith – who was speaking while sitting in his front room with a blanket over his shoulders – said: “The residents are used to having central heating so this has been a real shock.
“You have to keep the electric heater on 24/7 or it gets cold and people are going to bed in their dressing gowns or putting extra sheets on the bed to keep warm.
“I’ve calculated that I’m running up twice as much in electricity as I usually would every week and we need to be fully compensated.
“I just don’t know why they didn’t do this work in the summer.”
Another resident said it was “beyond belief” that the work was not done in the summer when it was warmer.
Jill Fotheringham, whose mum lives in the complex, said the small heaters they were given were never going to keep them warm.
She said: “My mum is sitting in her flat with her jacket on because she is so cold.
“They were given an electric heater and have been offered another one but she says she can’t afford to run another one.
“She has bought an electric blanket and is going to her bed after tea time to keep warm.
“My mum is in her 70s and is relatively able but I worry for the residents who aren’t as mobile as she is.
“It is now much colder and the small heaters they were given is never going to keep the flats warm.
“It’s a ridiculous situation.”
Montrose Lib Dem councillor David May said he wants to know why it is taking so long to get the problem fixed and for details of the financial recompense.
He said: “Temporary heaters have been given to each of the residents but some have expressed their concern about the cost of this as many are on tight incomes and cannot afford extra expenditure.
“I have subsequently found out that the residents will be financially compensated for this but I want the details of this as they should be fully compensated.
“The fact that their usual heating has not been working is appalling and as we are now in autumn I expect a very early resolution to this especially when you consider how vulnerable many of the residents are.”
Mr May said he has also asked the council why the work was not started early in the summer which he said would have seemed “sensible”.
An Angus Council spokesperson said: “The original contract was to last three weeks but unfortunately it has taken longer due to additional works.
“All tenants were informed of the contract period and supplied with temporary heating.
“We also advised that a payment would be made to cover the cost of any additional energy.
“When it became apparent that works were not to be completed after three weeks the tenants were also informed of the delay.
“The work is aimed to be completed by Wednesday 12 October.”
