• JUST over a week ago, I contacted Camden by phone (020 7974 4444) to let them know that my central heating system had broken down over the summer and, with the onset of cold weather, I would appreciate having it fixed (being over 60, asthmatic, having a serious bowel disease and fused vertebrae which cause severe pain and mobility issues).

Delighted to say the call went straight through and a council contractor from GEM called late on the evening of Sunday November 3. Unfortun­ately, he misdiagnosed the problem and by the time I was able to rereport the issue the system had changed.

The new system gives callers a misleading series of options and in desperation I jabbed a number and was referred back to the “popular” WhatsApp service (NO! IT ISN’T – they know it isn’t but seem to enjoy gaslighting us, which only adds to the pain of their inability to gas-heat this particular resident).

The WhatsApp service demands a photo of the issue. How on earth do I photograph an absence of heating?

In any case, I prevailed.

Eventually (at 2.55pm) a person replied with the words “One moment please”.

Several “moments” later (3.22pm) I was informed that the earliest another contractor could call was Monday of the following week.

I have requested – and received – a complaints form, and hope to pick my spirits up enough to complete it. But in the meantime would be interested to learn how other vulnerable Camden council’s tenants feel about this new system of reporting emergency repairs.

C JOHN, WC1