Clay Farm Trumpington: Flats with heating issues for months get new boiler

Some residents put up a banner on their flat in protest at the issues

A new boiler has been installed to fix hot water and heating issues that have plagued a block of flats for months.

One resident at the newly-built Clay Farm Centre in Trumpington, Cambridge, said they had to boil kettles to bathe their children due to the problems.

Cambridge City Council and Housing Association BPHA apologised to residents at a meeting on Monday.

They said they would work to communicate better with residents in the future.

The building is owned by Cambridge City Council and social housing association BPHA is the landlord for the residents.

Jade Melville, who has hung a banner outside her flat in protest over the issues, said she did not trust the organisations to keep their word.

"It's been well publicised we have had to boil kettles to bathe our children. The story here is the incompetence and complete contempt residents have faced."

She said residents gave the organisations a "list of all the building's issues" that still needed to be addressed.

"They apologised, but there were no heartfelt 'sorrys' for what we have had to face," she said.

Labour councillor Mike Davey, executive councillor for finance, resources and transformation, said: "I was keen to apologise for the city council's part in this because clearly we got things wrong and [we want] to make sure this doesn't happen again."

There was a need to create "effective communication" between the council, residents and BPHA going forward to "rebuild trust", he said.

A spokeswoman for BPHA said: "We would like to apologise again to the residents of Clay Farm for the disruption to their heating and hot water supply, and the time it has taken to resolve this.

"A new boiler was installed by the council's contractors on Friday, 11 November, which is currently being tested and will be in service this week.

"We'll be working closely with residents going forward to address the areas discussed," she said.

Find BBC News: East of England on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. If you have a story suggestion email [e-mail]