Around 40 elderly residents have been left without hot water for three weeks at retirement flats.

David Mattey, 84 and his wife Carol, 77, are among those who have been forced to boil water to wash and do the dishes.

The couple live in 37-flat Raglan Court in Eastleigh. To add insult to injury, the heating at the Stonewater-run block cut out on Saturday.

David, who suffers from Parkinson’s told the Echo: “I’m housebound, if I didn’t have my wife to take care of me I don’t know what I would do.

“I told (Stonewater) I’m not prepared to pay for heating if I’m not getting anything for it. We’re being left here helpless.”

Power cut 

A power cut on October 3 cut out the hot water. David immediately told Stonewater but no one came out so he had to chase ten days later.

The former painter and decorator was told a contractor would sort the problem but there was a delay for a new pump for the boiler.

It had been expected on Friday but did not materialise.

David told the Echo: “While they're passing the bucket to each other we were sat here with no hot water to wash ourselves."

He added: "I told them, I could get a parcel from Amazon ordered and get it delivered the next day. I didn't understand why it was taking them so long to get this part."

'Bashing our heads against the wall'

His wife Carol told Stonewater about the heating but no one turned out at the weekend.

She said: "Elderly people are living here who need to be warm.

"It is dangerous that elderly people have to be boiling up water to wash themselves.

She added: “We’re bashing our heads against the wall because no one is doing anything about this.

"We’re all wrapping up in clothes and using hot water bottles to keep ourselves warm.”

Other residents criticised the housing association for the lack of communication.

Jane Rymer, 76, suffers Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease that affects her breathing. 

She said: “I got sick and tired of phoning and writing letters and nothing gets done and they don’t tell you anything.

“I haven't been able to shower and the steam helps me with my COPD and to breathe better. This is all leaving us cold and smelly.”

Another resident, Alan Ogilvae, 77, added: “They shouldn’t be called Stonewater, they should be called Stonewall because it’s how we're left feeling living here.”

'We're really sorry'

A spokesperson for Stonewater said: "We’re really sorry that customers at Raglan Court have been experiencing issues with their hot water since earlier this month.

"When the engineer originally attended to assess the issue, they reported that there was an intermittent fault, which meant it was allocated as a lower priority for repair."

They said the issue is due to be solved today.