UPDATE: Since writing this article, Wandle Housing Association has fixed the couple's boiler. However Nub News has been informed that Wandle has left the boiler leaking.

An elderly couple have been left without heating and hot water in their Chessington home since last Friday, 14 February.

The couple, who are in their 80s, have lived in the house, which is owned by Wandle Housing Association, since 1999.

Given that one of the residents, Colin, is registered disabled and has Crohn's disease in advanced stages, the house is a disabled property.

Speaking about Wandle, Colin and Rosetta's daughter Zara told Kingston Nub News: "Wandle just don't keep the property as they should. They don't look after my parents. They don't check in on them, bearing in mind it's a disabled property.

"And the issues my parents have had this past week are the latest in a long line of issues. They've never had a new bathroom or kitchen and It's just ridiculous."

Last Friday, Colin rang Zara, who lives in Hampshire, to say that there was no hot water or heating in the house.

Rosetta was staying with Zara at the time but went home immediately to look after her husband.

Zara called Wandle who put her in touch with its contractor, Sure Serve, which told her it would "send someone to the house "as soon as possible".

Zara said: "Someone did come on Saturday (15 February) and then said, 'well, we need to get a new part, which is going to take about five days'.

"This was obviously bad but my mum's in her 80s and just went along with it even though it's been freezing as they've had no heating or no hot water since last Friday."

Zara said that she's "constantly chased" Sure Serve but hasn't had a call back.

She said: "I was on hold for over an hour, eventually speaking to somebody who told me they tried to call me and that they haven't managed to get the part they need because there's three different ones."

Sure Serve asked Zara if she could get her parents to look underneath their boiler, to which she responded, "absolutely not".

Zara told the contractor: "You need to send someone. When did you plan on telling us this? There's no chance I'm going to ask my parents to start climbing and looking under a boiler for a serial number."

Sure Serve did send a professional out the following day, which was Wednesday, 19 February, five days after Zara first contacted them.

Following this, Zara was supposed to expect a call from the area manager to update her, but she has not received a call despite calling them.

Speaking about her parents' situation, Zara told Kingston Nub News that her mum is having to boil kettles throughout the day for the couple to wash.

A family friend, Mary, put Zara in touch with Kingston Council who has not been able to help the family because Wandle is not based in the borough.

Mary told Kingston Nub News that she was "very angry" when she saw how her friends have been treated.

This isn't the only problem Colin and Rosetta have had while living in the property.

According to Zara, "even though it's a disabled Property, there's no upkeep".

She said: "We're constantly having to chase Wandle to have the land around it kept clean and tidy, but they don't do anything, and my parents are in their 80s, so they shouldn't have to be doing it.

"We're just in a constant toing and froing with Wandle and my parents have had enough of it, they just can't cope with it anymore.

"My mum said the other day that it's actually warmer outside than it is inside the house. And because my parents are constantly having to boil the kettle to keep warm, their electricity bill is going to be excessive. I'm just so angry."

Zara feels that Wandle "just don't seem to care".

Zara has now been informed that someone will visit her parents' house today, Friday 21 February, at 5pm, a whole week since the couple lost their heating and hot water

Francis Burrows, Wandle's Executive Director - Customer and Operational Services said: "I am sorry that Mr and Mrs Shearwood did not receive good enough service. Our contractor, SureServe,

"We visited on Friday, 21 February, to make the boiler safe and operable. They now have hot water and heating. At Wandle, we are committed to providing the right services to our customers and learning from our mistakes".