The mother of a child with a circulatory disease felt "let down" after they were left with no heat for over a week.

Pamela John, who lives in Bramfield, Garston, became ill with a cold and a chest infection after she and her two children struggled without working heating from January 20 to January 31.

She says Sanctuary Housing fixed the issue yesterday (January 31) but this was “not good enough”, especially since she and her three-year-old are asthmatic while her 14-year-old suffers from Raynaud’s.

Watford Observer: Pamela John in the propertyPamela John in the property (Image: Pamela John)

The 53-year-old said: “The place was so cold.

“They have had no problems from me and then when I need help they speak as though ‘what’s the big deal’.”

“I always paid my rent on time and I’m actually even in credit.

"You can’t treat people like that.”

Pamela, who has now been prescribed antibiotics, says she waited for two hours on the phone to speak to someone at Sanctuary but ended up just getting two small heaters that “don’t do anything”.

She added: “I had to keep on phoning them. When I kept asking them when someone would come they just said they would text.

“They didn’t even do that, and I only found out from my daughter when I was at work."

The head cook at St Catherine of Siena Catholic Primary School said she was shocked by how "unhelpful" Sanctuary was.

“It made me feel a bit down and depressed," she added. "When you have young kids you would hope for more. I was let down.

“I’m a single mum, I have two young kids, I have to have the heating on for them, but I couldn’t really afford to do it."

Sanctuary Housing said it visited the home on January 21 but the boiler could not be repaired and a replacement was ordered.

A spokesperson added: "While it took longer than we would like for the new boiler to arrive, when delivery was confirmed we agreed an appointment with our tenant and it was installed on January 31.

“The family were provided with portable fan heaters to use temporarily while we waited for the new boiler and we will ensure we reimburse them for any extra electricity costs incurred.”