News – 20 December 2022
Over the weekend we saw a surge in emergency contacts due in part to the extreme cold weather we’ve been facing.
Disappointingly, we know that a number of customers had problems reporting issues to us, so we wanted to apologise and provide an update on how we’re putting it right.
Reporting emergencies
Some of you reported that you struggled to get through on our out-of-hours emergency phone line or were getting cut off when you were transferred.
This was in part due to the overwhelming number of calls received by our heating contractor.
Should there still be an occasion where you are cut off, please do keep trying to call as you will be connected at some point.
We’re really sorry if you experienced these problems and for any inconvenience caused.
PH Jones
Frustratingly we’re once again experiencing issues with our heating contractor, PH Jones. Given the time of year and the recent weather, the timing of this could not have been worse, so we’re incredibly sorry for those who have been affected recently.
We’ve been regularly meeting with them to find ways for them to improve their performance so they deliver the service you deserve.
They’ve added additional staff to both their call centre and operatives to visit your homes. We hope this will help reduce call waiting times and help their teams get through more jobs.
In addition to this, we’ve added two full-time staff – Jack and Ben – to focus solely on supporting you through this tricky period.
If you have issues getting through to PH Jones, please keep trying as they have access to the latest information on your heating repairs and can advise on timescales for completing these.
How you can help
We share your frustration when these things happen, and while it may be a big ask, please bear with us as we’re trying to deal with all emergencies as quickly as we can.
To help us do this, we’d ask that you hold off reporting non-emergency repairs until the New Year. We know this isn’t ideal, but it will help us better deal with emergencies.
If you’re not sure what is classed as an emergency repair, here are some examples:
- Flooding or a major leak, with the possibility of ceiling collapse
- Fire
- Unsafe electrics or a total loss of power to the property
- Doors or windows not being secure
- No heating or hot water in winter
- Sewage overflowing into the home
Festive period closure
Please be aware that our office is closed from 5pm on Friday 23 December until 8.45am on Tuesday 3 January.
During this time the only way to get in touch with us will be via our emergency out of hours phone line, for emergency repairs only. All other channels, such as email and social media will not be monitored.
- For heating emergencies, such as gas, oil or solid fuel appliances (not air source heat pumps or electric storage heaters), call 0800 177 7003
- For emergency building repairs, call 0300 123 5544 and select option 2
If you smell gas, you should call 0800 111 999 immediately.
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We hope that the measures we’ve put in place and the slightly warmer weather will help us improve the level of service over the next week or so, but once again we apologise and thank you for your continued patience.