A Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) tenant who suffered through five weeks of Ballarat’s cold weather without heating is now feeling much warmer.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Tenant Kerry, who asked The Courier not to identify her any further, said she received a series of calls from the department following her story being told in the newspaper on Tuesday.
After receiving extra oil heaters, she says a DHHS plumber contacted her on Wednesday morning, and by that afternoon a new gas heater had been installed. Kerry says she's grateful for the swift attention, and the goodwill and support expressed by so many towards her.
A spokesperson for the state housing minister Martin Foley says cases like Kerry’s are being assessed on a needs basis, with the most urgent cases getting attention as quickly as the department and contractors can possibly provide.
“Energy Safe Victoria have been responsible for making the assessments on which heaters are unsafe,” the spokesperson said.
“They enforce the regulations and decide what needs to happen. The department has a duty of care to its tenants to ensure their safety, and we are doing that as best we can and in a timely manner.”
There are 6500 Vulcan/Pyrox gas heaters that have been assessed as needing replacement across the state for safety reasons. The Courier has also spoken to other DHHS tenants who say their heaters are faulty or not working, but have not been assessed as dangerous.
One tenant says her heater has not worked for eight weeks.
If the heater in your public housing home is not working or you are worried about your heater, please contact the Housing Call Centre on 1800 148 426 (free call).
