A SINGLE father has issued an ultimatum to a housing association after their solution to his chilly home proves too expensive.

Nigel Cleall, of Nash Close in Martley, has been DIY insulating his home after refusing the new heating system offered to him by Platform Housing after the condenser in the old pump broke earlier this year.

Mr Cleall used rolls of cardboard to try to keep the heat inside his home and has chosen this year to install insulation tiles on his ceilings.

He has also purchased heaters to avoid using the pump.

He now said he has given the housing association an ultimatum to resolve the issues with his heating or he will deny them access to the home.

Mr Cleall said: "I have given Platform a deadline to come in and sort this. They have until the end of December, and if not, I will not be giving them access to my home to carry out any other work.

"Enough is enough"

Witney Gazette: Black mould growing in Mr Cleall's proprty.Black mould growing in Mr Cleall's proprty. (Image: Nigel Cleall)

Mr Cleall, who lives at the property with his 13-year-old son, Oliver, says that the lack of heat has left the property freezing and has led to black mould growing in his son's bedroom and in his bathroom.

He said: "I first had an air source heat pump installed in 2011 and within the first 12 months I had an electricity bill of £3000.

"Ever since then I have been fighting to get it out as it is just far too expensive to use, but I have had no luck.

"That kind of heating system is great for some, but it is just not designed for my property. I only really use it to heat my water because it is extortionate."

Marion Duffy, Platform’s chief operations officer said: “Mr Cleall’s home, along with all the properties in his building, are due for major retrofit energy efficiency works to be carried out, as part of the grant we secured from the government’s Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund.

“We understand Mr Cleall’s concerns so have arranged to visit him again, to ensure that we can offer him our continued support and explain the benefits of the improvement works, which we anticipate will start in March.”

Last month, figures from MCS, the standards body for heat pumps and other energy-saving technology, showed that less than one in 200 homes in Worcester have a heat pump

The figures suggest 43 heat pumps were installed in Worcester from 2009 to September – covering an estimated 0.1 per cent of households in the area.