LETTER: John H of South Kilburn still waiting for repair to his Octavia HA flat to be completed - 3 months on

 

Readers will remember the case of John H, the disabled South Kilburn pensioner, who was without heating for many weeks in the winter. After repeated stories on this blog and help from Brent Council the heating in his housing association flat was eventually restored, but the associated repairs are still outstanding. The wordcloud above gives an idea of the nightmare that John has encountered in trying to get the repair completed.

In despair, John wrote another letter to Wembley Matters yesterday that I publish below:

   

Dear Editor,

 

It is now 3 months (24th Nov. 2025-24th February 2026) since I reported to my landlord Octavia, that 2 of my thermostats had failed and needed to be replaced.

 

However, I am still waiting for the repair to be completed, even though my heating was restored on the 6th of January 2026.

 

Yesterday SureServe were due to install a new thermostat in my living room, but they failed to attend, which has now reached 14 missed appointments over 3 months.

 

Mears are due to come tomorrow to repair all the damage caused by SureServe when they restored my heating system.

 

I made a complaint to Abri yesterday by email regarding waiting for 7 weeks to get my temporary thermostat replaced with a new one in my living room.

 

As they did not reply to yesterday's email, I have now submitted another one, using the Abri complaints online form regarding the wait of 50 days for my thermostat.

 

 

John H

South Kilburn

 

South Kilburn pensioner's heating back on after 44 days and 17 appointments

Pensioner John H's heating was finally repaired today. From Day 1 the 24th November, 2025 until today the 6th January 2026 the heating was down for 44 days. There were a total of 17 appointments arranged with SureServe of which four were attended and 13 missed.

John is a disabled  tenant of Octavia Housing at Bannister House South Kilburn.

Cllr Fleur Donnelly-Jackson commented on Wembey Matters today:  'The repair has been completed today after continued advocacy by the council's housing partnerships team. The support to the resident is ongoing. 

The saga isn't quite over. John told Wembley Matters this evening: 

All my heating is back on.

However, I now need another repair appointment to fix all the damage caused by SureServe today, including disconnecting my heating meter, which shows how much credit I have left and leaving some of my pipework exposed.

I asked Octavia to carry out the repair but they say it's not their responsibility and it's up to me to arrange the appointment with Insite Energy, who provide my heating.

 

UPDATE IN COMMENTS AS TEMPERATURE DROPS: Still no heating repair for South Kilburn disabled pensioner. Unsuitable hotel room offered.

I regret that the story first published before Christmas about the disabled pensioner in South Kilburn left without central heating for weeks LINK continued over the holiday. This is despite the intervention of a Kilburn councillor and the Cabinet Lead for Housing.

Today heating contractors for Octavia made their 15th visit but, 'The Sureserve engineer was unable to restore my heating, as he needs to call on the assistance of other SureServe operatives, including an electrician to carry out the repair.'

John H was unable to accept Octavia's offer of a Premier Inn hotel room as, 'It does not provide any disability aids and  adaptations. For example I need a wet room with support railings around the shower and toilet.'

With cold weather forecast for the weekend this is absolutely unacceptable and makes a mockery of Awaab's Law.