Newport: Hundreds of homes without heating or hot water

Repair work to pipe leaks in the Duffryn area of Newport is expected to last three days

About 900 homes in Newport have been left without heating or hot water due to pipe leaks.

The heating and hot water supply was shut off in the city's Duffryn estate on Tuesday, 14 February, for repair works expected to last three days.

Provider Newport City Homes has said it is reimbursing customers for "reasonable expenses" to temporarily heat their homes.

Newport Council has been contacted for comment.

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Duffryn resident Lisa Perkins, 43, said: "It's cold, it's freezing. I've got a vulnerable son, he can't use the shower because he's partially sighted so that means he can't even have a bath, it's too dangerous for him to use."

Lisa Perkins, whose son is partially-sighted, wants the problems sorted out quickly

Janet Gummer, 80, said her four-bedroom house was "very cold" and she would now have to heat her water using the kettle instead of the boiler.

She said: "I do feel the cold. I have to boil the kettle all the time, it's not really a good way to be able to live.

"It's going to use more electric up boiling the water on the stove."

Most properties in Duffryn are heated by a biomass boiler, built in the 1970s and operated by Newport City Homes, which provides hot water through a district heating system.

A Newport City Homes spokesperson said: "To safely repair further leaks that occurred on the underground pipework yesterday, we need to turn off the heating and hot water to all homes across the Duffryn estate.

"We estimate that the heating and hot water supply will need to stay off for three days.

"If you or someone you live with is vulnerable and needs access to heating or hot water sooner, let us know and we can help."

Temporary heaters and blankets can be requested, or collected from Nightingale Court, Duffryn, during the day. The company has also said it will be reimbursing customers £20 for each day heating and hot water has been unavailable, and urged anyone in financial difficulty due to a pre-payment metre to contact them directly.

Sonia Furzland, executive director of operations, told Radio Wales Breakfast specialist contractors are digging about eight metres below ground to identify the leak locations.

She added: "We're extremely sorry for the inconvenience that this is causing, we do know that it's having an impact on our customers."