New heating leaves tenants in the cold
A CAITHNESS councillor says his constituents are shivering in local authority housing because of flawed electric heating which is doing nothing to cut fuel poverty in the region.
Landward Caithness members David Flear said 12 tenants – mainly single mothers and elderly residents – had contacted him in the last few months complaining about their electric systems, which had left them unable to heat their homes properly and facing higher bills.
He has called for the Highland Council to investigate alternative heating systems because of the "desperate" problems in Caithness and other parts of the region.
Mr Flear said the local authority is replacing existing "wet" systems in his ward, when water from a closed fire previously heated radiators, with electric, but it is not insulating properties and replacing windows at the same time.
"It’s fine if tenants get the electric with new windows and insulation at the same time," he said. "But if you get it as a direct replacement on its own it’s very expensive.
"The costs are considerable, especially when you get cold weather, and there are also problems with dampness and condensation.
"It’s mainly people who are in most of the day, like single mothers and elderly people who don’t move about much. It’s a desperate situation."
Fuel poverty is when residents spend more than 10 per cent of their household income on domestic energy costs.
Mr Flear said the increase in his constituents bills varied because of the weather, particularly if it has been windy.
He has urged constituents to request social tariffs which have to be provided to vulnerable customers by energy companies to cope with high electricity and gas costs.
Steve Barron, the local authority’s housing director, admitted electric systems were not the first choice but said large swathes of the Highlands did not have access to mains gas.
Mr Barron told the council’s housing and social work committee in Inverness on Wednesday, that efforts to provide as much information on heating systems to tenants are being made.
"Clearly electrical heating systems are not our first choice," said Mr Barron. Ensuring homes are correctly insulated and losing as little heat as possible before a new heating system is installed is vital, he said.
"We have tried to be much more active in giving advice to tenants and are working closely with housing associations in providing advice for tenants who either have or about to have heating upgrades."
Mr Barron added a trial of a biomass heating system is currently under way in Croy, near Inverness.