It has been four weeks that residents of Genderbeemd have gone without heating due to maintenance works. They now demand compensation from their landlord.
To get some warmth in the house, resident Willem even turns his gas cooking stove on. ‘I do this three or four times per day,’ he says. ‘That is the only way to get warm’. And Willem is not the only one; his entire building faces the same problem.
Many residents have serious concerns about their health. ‘I can’t take care of myself because of the cold,’ says a neighbour who lives above Willem. ‘I’m wearing socks and a coat in bed. At a certain point I became really upset about it’.
The Oudaen building uses a shared heating system. This kind of system was installed in the 1970s.
Because the residents were officially notified about the maintenance work via letter, in the eyes of the law, they are not entitled to compensation. Many residents are frustrated about that. ‘In my opinion, we have to receive something, like half a month’s rent for free or something,’ says Willem’s neighbour.
Studio040 contacted Wooninc for a statement but has not yet received a reply.
Source: Studio040
Translation: Rachael Vickerman
