Tower block heating forcing families to share baths over 'extortionate' bills

'I CAN ONLY AFFORD TO SWITCH HEATING ON WHEN MY DISABLED SON VISITS' - SMITH'S WOOD RESIDENT IN APPEAL TO COUNCILLORS 05:30, 18 Feb 2025Updated 15:21, 18 Feb 2025 A Solihull

tower block resident has made a passionate appeal for councillors to scrap a heating system he claims is leading to “extortionate” bills. Josh Kearns, who lives in a block in Smith's

Wood, told councillors he now only switched his heating on when his disabled son visited because of the cost. Solihull Community Housing (SCH) has carried out a major project to introduce

biomass heating - considered more environmentally friendly - to flats in high rise social housing buildings over the past decade. READ MORE: NEW 'CHANGE OF USE' PLANS REVEALED FOR

FORMER SOLIHULL DOCTOR'S SURGERY _FOR MORE STORIES FROM ACROSS_ _SOLIHULL_ _INCLUDING BHX, BREAKING NEWS, POLITICS AND WHAT'S ON, SIGN UP TO OUR_ _MYSOLIHULL_ _NEWSLETTER_ Biomass

heating sees wood pellets, sourced from abroad, burned in a boiler at plant rooms to produce heating and hot water in each flat. Article continues below But, making a formal declaration to a

full council meeting, Mr Kearns, aged 34, said: “We surveyed 13 out of 23 tower blocks - of the 1,000 or so people we surveyed we had hundreds of responses. “The three main questions we

asked were is it affordable, is it efficient and is it reliable. “Out of all responses received to question one and two, 100 per cent were 'No'. "In response to is it

reliable, 98 per cent (said no)." Mr Kearns said he was representing angry residents living in flats including: * A resident with a four-year-old daughter who since moving in last

October had paid £300 for biomass when only having the heating on a couple of times a month * Another resident who said their family shared bathwater as it would cost too much for individual

baths * A 72 year old resident he quoted saying: “Unless I want to use the electric heater or blanket I’m spending more time in bed - not much of a life. I’m spending £25-a-day, the water

is not hot and does not heat up the property.” Mr Kearns said: “I may look healthy, I had major surgery last year and I’ve got further surgery in three weeks. “I’m spending £125 (per month)

for two-and-a-half days of heating a week when I have my disabled child there. “When I work from home I’m wrapped in a body warmer or blanket. “We are being charged 38.35 pence per kilowatt

hour, the average cost (in the Midlands) of gas is 6.3 pence per kilowatt hour. “It is that extortionate, it is driving tenants into financial insecurity and energy poverty. “We request

biomass be discontinued, pre-existing gas boilers switched on and we are charged at the rate of gas as soon as possible.” Coun Mark Parker, Solihull Council's cabinet holder for

housing, said: “Myself, the council and SCH are well aware some of our high rise customers have expressed concerns. “We have commissioned a number of energy assessments across several flats

in different blocks, the results will enable us to compare usage and costs. “We are also bringing out a programme of work to improve efficiency of biomass plant rooms alongside some work on

usage which will help reduce costs.” The councillor said biomass cost had been affected by the Ukraine war. “Before the war we imported from Russia and the price was around £150 per tonne,”

he said. “Prices went up to £700 per tonne after the war started and now sits around £325 per tonne.” Later in the meeting Coun Hazel Dawkins asked: “ Does the member agree there should be a

pause in the implementation of the biomass system in the rest of the blocks?” Coun Parker replied: “There are no plans to install further biomass systems in 14 blocks not connected to the

biomass plant rooms. Article continues below “SCH is seeking additional funding to support improvements to the system.” The meeting was held at the Civic Suite on February 4.