Woodlark Place Residents Face Months Without Hot Water

Yesterday morning, residents from Woodlark Place in Newbury contacted me about an ongoing and deeply concerning issue: a lack of reliable hot water affecting around 25 homes on the estate.

I was alarmed to hear that families, including households with young children, have reportedly been dealing with this problem for around six months. We are now in winter, and some parents have been forced to boil kettles just to bathe their children. That should never be happening in modern housing.

As soon as I was made aware of the situation, I contacted Persimmon Homes, who developed the site, to raise residents’ concerns. I have asked them to urgently investigate the issue and to provide a clear and credible timeline for restoring hot water to all affected homes.

I have since been speaking directly with impacted residents to understand the full extent of the problem and the effect it is having on their daily lives. Being without hot water is not a minor inconvenience, it impacts hygiene, health, and wellbeing, and places additional strain on families and vulnerable residents.

Residents should not have to spend months chasing developers for a basic service. Developers have a responsibility to ensure homes are safe, habitable, and fit for purpose, and that includes access to hot water.

I am currently awaiting a response from Persimmon Homes and will update residents as soon as I hear back. If progress is not made quickly, I will look at what further steps can be taken.