AN Okehampton pensioner this week claimed she felt abandoned, after a persistent failure by her landlord to maintain her hot water and heating supplies. But the landlords said they were doing all they could to solve the problem. Alexandra Kelleher, 61, and her husband Timothy, also 61, live at Moyses Meadow. Mrs Kelleher said landlord West Devon Homes fitted a new boiler at the property two or three months ago ? but there had been problems with it ever since. She said: ?I?m at the end of my tether. I was left without any heating or hot water for five days last week and now I?ve none again. ?I am a lollipop lady so I am working outside and when I get home I can?t get warm. My husband hasn?t been well and he is having to stay in bed to keep warm. ?I have to go across town to have a bath at my daughter?s house because I?ve got no hot water. ?It makes me feel as though I?ve done something wrong, to be treated like this. They?ve just left me.? Mrs Kelleher said the boiler had been worked on six or seven times since it was installed ? but the repairs only lasted a couple of days. ?Apparently, all my radiators are leaking and the pipes need changing,? said Mrs Kelleher. ?I?ve even asked them if they have an electric fire or something they could give me so we can keep warm. We are old aged pensioners, it?s not as if we are young people ? and it?s awful that I can?t have a bath in my own home.? Jean Peters, chief executive of West Devon Homes, said: ?There was a boiler replacement carried out at this address, it was a new type of boiler and in fitting it, which can sometimes happen, it caused other problems like leaking radiators because of the increased pressure in the system ? that?s why there have been several call-outs.? Ms Peters said West Devon Homes was doing everything it could to sort out the problems with Mr and Mrs Kelleher?s heating and water system and the company would continue to monitor the situation. She said she had every sympathy for Mr and Mrs Kelleher. ?It?s one of those unfortunate things, when something new is fitted it can cause other problems ? but we will replace the radiators if that?s what it takes,? she said.
