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After three weeks of getting the runaround from city hall, Sandra Inglis and her family will be getting heat and hot water again on Thursday. We first brought you her story on Saturday and since the story aired, she says the city is finally taking action. But her plight raises concerns about the city of Hamilton’s vital services by-law and how it’s enforced.
The vital services by-law was put in place to protect innocent people from having necessities such as hydro and gas cut off when they are paid are part of their rent. But for Sandra Inglis the by-law was useless. She did everything right. But despite numerous calls to various city departments, she was left with no hot water, no heat and no sympathy from city officials.
Sandra Inglis has to wrap herself in a blanket to watch TV. Boil water to do the dishes. But after three weeks of making numerous calls and sending emails, that’s all about to change: “The city called today and said they could get the gas on by the 18th of this month which is three days from now. A little bit ridiculous but they are saying now that I have gotten this coverage that they want to respond to me.”
Inglis pays 900 month rent including utilities. In June, the hydro was cut off because the landlord didn’t pay the bill. The city’s vital services by-law kicked in and had the hydro restored. Since then Inglis has been required to pay her rent to the city. She was shocked when her gas was cut off on August 20th: “It’s absolutely ridiculous that it took going to CHCH News to get help when these people have a whole division dedicated to help me.
The city blames the gas company.
James Buffett is with the city of Hamilton: “We would take over any bills or accounts as long as we get thirty days notice of lock intent from those services. So in this case, we have never received a thirty day lock intention from Union Gas yet.”
But Inglis told them weeks ago. Buffett can’t explain why it took so long: “I have no answer as to why it’s taken three weeks for the gas to get turned back on.”
Inglis says it’s because they just don’t care: “These by-laws are created to protect us. Yet they are failing us and people lose faith in the system. There’s no help. They just get to sit there and get paid and don’t do their job.”
Until today.
The gas will be turned back on this Thursday which is a good thing but Inglis has had enough. She is moving out at the end of September.
The city says it will be sitting down with Union Gas to discuss the issue and make sure this doesn’t happen again.
