Disabled tenant who's had no central heating since before last CHRISTMAS is ready to use his own funeral savings to pay for a new boiler

James Thomas — who is paraplegic — says he feels 'abandoned' by the housing association, which appears to be fitting new systems into homes around him while he continues to go without.

The 70-year-old's ageing heating conked out in mid-December last year and RCH has since failed to either repair or replace it, despite apparently providing other tenants at Kilblain Court with brand new boilers.

James said: "I'm angry about it.

"It's at the stage now where I'd give up the money I've saved for my funeral just to have a proper heating system again.

"I want to go and do that today, to say to them, 'Look, here's my money, get it sorted' but my sister won't let me do that."

James — who suffered a crippling spinal injury in a fall 14 years ago — has had to make do with 'temporary' plug-in electric heaters, which are expensive to run, for the last nine months.

As the Telegraph arrived at Kilblain Court to interview him our reporter witnessed workmen shuttling a number of domestic boiler systems up the lifts to elsewhere in the block.

Meanwhile, James says he's been 'fobbed off' with a number of 'false promises' about repairing his system.

One text message from July that he showed us states: "Parts are on order to repair your central heating system. These parts expected on 3 August and we will contact you to arrange a suitable appointment."

James said: "No-one contacted me about an appointment.

"I'm devastated because I trust them from month-to-month but all they do is fob me off with false promises."

James added: "I'm numb from the neck down and don't know if I'm hot or cold.

"I had my heating all set, so it was on at certain times to help me.

"I get cramps in my legs, severe spasms, and they can last 20 minutes at a time.

"They've given me £200 towards heating costs but I don't want money, I want my heating fixed."

RCH today insisted that James's system will be the 'first' to be replaced.

David Falla, of the housing association, said: "Mr Thomas's heating system broke down completely and we were unable to replace it with something similar.

"This is one of the reasons that the heating in the entire block is being replaced with a communal heating system.

"His home has an electric immersion heater and an electric shower and we provided Mr Thomas with electric heaters for his home."

Mr Falla added: "The good news is that the communal heating system has been installed on the roof and work is due to begin to install the new systems into each customer's home shortly.

"We have prioritised Mr Thomas's home and it will be the first to be replaced in the block.

"We apologise for the inconvenience caused to Mr Thomas but have been supporting him with any additional costs he has incurred over this period as a result."