Pensioner claims faulty cooker is causing kitchen to melt (From This Is Local London)

Sidcup pensioner Eileen Perry claims faulty cooker is causing kitchen to melt

2:00pm Tuesday 31st January 2012 in Where I Live By Kelly Smale

A PENSIONER is among residents who claim their kitchens are melting because of faulty cookers installed by a housing association.

Eileen Perry, of Marlin Court, in Elm Road, Sidcup, owns 25 per cent of the property - the rest is owned by Gallions Housing Association.

She claims the cooker has not been insulated properly, which has caused the plastic on kitchen cupboards and draws to melt.

Mrs Perry, 68, said: "The main thing is they are not safe. It could be a fire hazard.

"When I cook I have to open the cupboard doors because they get too hot."

The grandmother-of-three claims around 10 other people in the block of flats are experiencing the same problem.

She has asked the housing association to replace the damaged cupboard doors and for the cooker to be made safe.

But Gallions says repairs inside the homes are the responsibility of lease holders.

Mrs Perry's son, Keith, said: "All the plastic coating around the kitchen units has melted. It looks like someone has held a blow torch to it. It's absolutely outrageous.

"My concerns are that Gallions are trying to wriggle out and they are selling apartments with defects which they are not putting right."

A spokeswoman for Gallions said: "We have been speaking to some home owners at Marlin Court who have had problems with their kitchen units.

"Under the terms of their leases they are responsible for all repairs and maintenance inside their homes, therefore, legally Gallions do not have to undertake repairs of this nature.

"However, we did try to establish if the kitchen manufacturer could provide assistance but they have now gone into liquidation so there is very little we can do.

"To try and assist residents further we have already arranged to visit them in the next few days so we can advise them further about their options."