It’s getting hot in here

The south-east London home has an “excellent” Eco Homes rating.

Its energy-saving features include: a combined heat and power system; low-energy lighting; dual-flush toilets; white goods with a European energy rating of A (the best); two recycling bins in the kitchen and a recycling wheelie bin as well as one for refuse.

The house was built using timber from a sustainable source, has air-tight windows and is near to good public transport.

The family's view

This is Laura Mannino’s second home in the village – she moved from a two-bedroom flat. She was delighted when offered this house. “When I knew there was a cost-effective way to live like this, I was all for it.”

Mannino likes the setting. “There’s a lot of greenery. The children’s school is nearby and there will soon be a shop and health centre within walking distance.” She also likes the home’s large windows, which let in lots of natural light, and the thick insulation and air-tight walls, which keep it warm in winter.

But she is frustrated because she feels the properties could have been managed better to help tenants be more energy-efficient. “There are so many things they could have done properly and didn’t,” she says.

For example, the CHP system should help to cut heating and hot water bills but in her first flat, Mannino says, she and her neighbours didn’t know the system existed until 15 months after they moved in, when they received annual heating bills from the management company.

Mannino’s bill was £800 although her CHP unit had not been working properly and the fault took two years to repair. So far, she hasn’t noticed any money savings from her energy-saving home. “I have normal electricity bills, but we had unjust heating bills.”

The house has non-opening windows downstairs, making it extremely hot on summer days, so she bought a £100 air conditioner and a fan, which are both used full-blast in hot weather.

And although the energy-efficient bulbs are supposed to last up to 10 times longer than normal bulbs, they keep blowing. “I had to buy three yesterday,” says Mannino.

She recycles, but has to make extra car trips to the supermarket to drop off her recyclables because the promised doorstep collections have not yet started. Neither did the energy-saving white goods materialise immediately. “When I moved in there was only a cooker,” Mannino says. After three months of car trips to a launderette, the RSL installed a washer-dryer – and though her machine has the A energy rating, a neighbour was given one rated D, much less efficient.

Mannino doesn’t think the family was provided with enough information about the features. A manual was only supplied after a lengthy delay and there has been little discussion about the adaptations, she says. RSL staff seemed ill informed, she says: “When I mentioned CHP to customer service advisers, they didn’t know about it.”

Joanna Yarrow's verdict

“Mannino’s taking an active interest in what’s there but there’s obviously not the information she needs to make the best of what she’s got. And there doesn’t seem to be any route by which she can learn more or through which things can be adapted.

“The most obvious problem is ventilation – she’s now had to spend her own money and put energy bills up massively by having a fan and an air conditioner. The problem with the bulbs suggests she’s getting power surges or using the wrong type of bulbs.”

The landlord says...

“All residents are informed about all aspects of the homes when they sign their tenancy,” says a Moat spokesperson. “They are also given a residents’ handbook, which provides an explanation of the CHP system, and the village has a residents’ association that discusses issues such as CHP.

“In late 2001, Laura Mannino reported faults to her CHP system. These were passed on to the supplier. In September 2003 our new supplier identified the fault and reduced the amount Mannino was billed for. “Moat has not received any notification of an issue with the energy-efficient bulbs. We would be happy to discuss any concerns.”

A waste management strategy run by Greenwich council is being further developed for other phases of the estate. As a temporary measure bins have been sited in the streets – doorstep collection will start shortly.

Moat has ensured that the fixed-pane windows will not be used in future phases of the development.