With snow thick on the ground and temperatures hovering around zero, now is not the time to be left without hot water - especially for two weeks.

But that is what has happened to residents of Hardwick House in Northumberland Road, Maidstone.

The block of flats provides sheltered accommodation for 21 elderly, disabled and vulnerable residents and is run by Golding Homes housing association.

Usually the residents have their heating and hot water provided from a central boiler supplying all the flats, for which they pay a service charge.

But two weeks ago a leak developed in the hot water supply pipe. Golding Homes sent out an engineer who turned off the water supply.

Since then the tenants have had no hot water, although fortunately their heating is still functioning, and their cold water supply is unaffected.

Resident Terry Nugent said: "We've been told several different dates for when they were coming back to fix it: first it was Monday last week, then Wednesday last week, then this Monday, now they are saying this Wednesday."

He said: "So far no-one has been out to us after that initial visit. I've tried chasing Golding Homes - sometimes it takes an hour to get through to them on the phone.

"They tell me they are waiting for parts for the boiler, but that doesn't seem right to me. The problem was a leak. The boiler is working fine - it's still providing our heating."

Mr Nugent, 61, said he and his neighbours were "utterly fed up" with having to boil hot water all the time and not being able to have a proper wash.

He said: "Some of the people here are in their 90s. It's not right."

Golding Homes' director of operations, Annemarie Roberts, said: "We apologise sincerely to our customers at Hardwick House and can confirm the boiler repair will be completed tomorrow, Wednesday."

She said: "We have kept in close contact with the customers where the hot water supply was impacted and all of them have heating from the communal boiler and access to hot water via electric showers or using kettles.

"We do understand this has been difficult and will also be offering them some compensation for the delay in this repair."

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