To do without heating

[Cronesquerness]

My home is rented from a housing association and heated by a coal/wood burner. The chimney was swept by their contractor a couple of months ago and was passed as safe to light. I lit it on Friday and the chimney is clearly blocked as the house filled with smoke and I mean FILLED as no smoke at all was being drawn up the chimney. We all have sore throats and stinging eyes still. I evacuated the DC and crouched on the floor trying to empty the fire blindly. Eventually cleared the fire and waited for the house to clear of smoke. It stinks and is uninhabitable really. I've rung the housing association who say as the fire was passed as safe to light there will be no further action. I have no choice but to accept this and now look forward to a winter [all winters to come unless next year's sweeping makes a difference] with no heating, the fire heats the water and radiators. I shall have to buy plug in radiators I suppose. Do people live with no heating? Not sure what my AIBU is, just ranting I suppose.

Keep on at them about it, don’t just roll over and accept this. You have children therefore legally need to have at least hot water in the house. Heating isn’t legally necessary but of course life is 100000x more comfortable with it.

My boiler is getting fixed today after a few days without it. We had hot water but no heating and it’s just starting to get chilly now especially at night so it’s been pretty hideous. I would not wish that on a young child as it starts to dip even further.

Make a formal complaint, take any avenue you have to but do not accept this.

You aren't going to get anywhere unless and until a professional looks at the chimney. If the HA are really digging their heels in - and it's worth going up the line to someone more senior - it is possible for you to get your own person in on the basis that you can claim back the cost from the HA if it turns out there's a problem that they should have dealt with?

Escalate your complaint first as pp said. You've probably got a fairly junior person so far who is told to fob off all problems. But also / if that doesn't work try going to the surgery hours of your local councillor and/or your MP and get them to take it up. Local paper might also be interested then in a sad face 'left without heating for the winter' story.

I've rung the housing association who say as the fire was passed as safe to light there will be no further action.

Nonsense. If I'm reading right, you'd also be without hot water if you didn't use the burner? That's not acceptable. I'm glad you've put pressure on and I'd keep hassling them for the repairs team to come round.

With all things to do with a housing that is their responsibility you must follow the process and if like in your case they refuse to carry out their responsibilities then follow the complaint procedure (best done in writing rather than phone calls) but you have to follow it through all the way to completion right to the ombudsman if necessary because it's the only way to force them To follow the rules set out to them by government.
The complaint procedure means there is an evidence trail that they need to account for and explain during inspections.

Most have a certain amount of steps then it goes to ombudsman.

Very few housing providers ever want complaints to get as far as ombudsman because it affects their housing provider ratings which then can affects their grants.

I've been told to piss off so that's what I'm doing.

when private landlords are driven out (except the rogue ones) and every tenant is at the mercy of housing associations - best of luck, you'll need it.

We currently have no heating as having major renovation work done downstairs and we can't put it on until all the radiators are back on the walls (currently 2 weeks with another 3 to go....) The boiler is old and has an oversized pump.

Tbh it's not fun! We have oil filled radiators, fan heaters and electric Blankets but basically decamped upstairs.

Glad HA are sending someone out. In terms of the smell wash any furnishings you can. Curtains will depend on what they are a good breezing when dry followed by febreeze works.
For the smell in the house pots of baking soda and also white vinegar left out will help capture the smell.

I just got home and pushed a broom handle up the chimney, loads of soot came down, it was/is still blocked due to poor sweeping so at least now I know what it was and have messaged HA to come out and redo it. We shall see.. Again, thanks for your suggestions.