Helping you stay warm and well this winter

Having working heating and hot water systems in our homes is key to staying healthy especially during the colder months.

Rochdale Borough Council’s Home Improvement Agency (HIA) is offering a helping hand to elderly and vulnerable households whose heating systems are not working, putting them at particular risk of health problems due to excess cold.

The council made a successful bid for funding from the Government’s Warm Homes Healthy People scheme to pay for heating repairs, where appropriate, or provide alternative solutions. The scheme is running until the end of March this year.

Once a request for help is made a home visit will be arranged to establish the nature of the problem. Where there is a simple solution, such as resetting the thermostat, work will be carried out immediately, otherwise arrangements will be made for a council-approved Gas Safe Contractor to carry out the repairs.

If repair is not possible, or costs are too high, the council will loan households oil-filled radiators and explore other ways of funding repairs such as Warm Front grants or charitable trust fund applications.

To request help call the HIA on 01706 926671 between 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday. Visits will be arranged the same day wherever possible.