Several residents of the Europe district in Saint-Quentin, in Aisne, have been without heating for weeks, except for a few days at Christmas. A technical problem would be involved, aggravated by the negative temperatures of recent days. Exasperated, the tenants no longer know where to turn.
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In Picardy, winter temperatures fell below zero degrees, particularly on Friday January 3 and Saturday January 4, 2025. The freezing cold was difficult to bear for residents of the Europe district in Saint-Quentin.
Residents of a housing estate are in fact deprived of heating, despite numerous reminders, calls and trips to their landlord.
The residents of several buildings in the Europe district in Saint-Quentin, in Aisne, are affected by the heating failure.
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© Antoine Roynier / FTV
It is difficult to say how many tenants are affected, but the exasperation is felt in the corridors and staircases of the buildings. This is the case for Jérémy Forest: “we had a little heating for Christmas, for four days, and after that, nothing. There, it has been since the end of October that they have been supposed to reopen the heating in the homes“.
The only solution for now? Buy space heaters. “But at the same time, electricity bills will increase“. Several people also tried to question the lessor: “They say that they keep asking Engie, and when we call them, they say that they have never been contacted by Partenord“.
In the end, is it a breakdown or are they the ones turning off the boilers to try to scrounge up the bills they will have to pay?
Jérémy Forest, tenant
Even phone numbers”that they give us is not the agency numbers, but that of the parent company in Lille. They have feedback on what's going on, but apparently it doesn't seem to concern them.“, continues Jérémy Forest before adding: “It's all well and good, we're going to see the organisms, but there's no one moving behind them either. After a while, what do we do?“
Added to all this is mold in homes, caused by humidity. “We don't have heating, so no matter how much you clean, the mold just keeps coming back, and yet I used industrial products to clean!“. The tenant, upon returning, feels that his throat “bulges, as if I have something obstructing it“. If he is lucky enough to be able to move soon, this is not the case for the others, who still have to wait for the heating to return.
One of the tenants, Philippe Moreau, even undertook a three-day hunger strike to protest, until thedeputy mayor in charge of solidarity will come to inquire about the situation this Saturday, January 4. He was promised supported electric heaters. In return, he agreed to start eating again.
This retiree, being treated for cancer, is also trying to cope with low temperatures. But, with on average 14 degrees at midday and only 11 at night, his daily life is more about survival.
Philippe Moreau, at home, under several blankets.
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© Antoine Roynier / FTV
This gesture was the only mode of action left for him to make himself heard by the social landlord. “I told my family, I'm going on hunger strike, as long as I don't have heat, and I will go until the end“, he explains, sitting on his sofa, several blankets over his body to keep warm.
It was a “serious decision“, but necessary in his eyes.”We survive, we live under the covers, we don't open. In the evening, at 8:30 p.m., we are in bed, we are cold all night“, he laments. Philippe Moreau also explains that he contacted his lessor Partenord, without result. Contacted, the lessor's representative did not wish to comment.
With Rémi Vivenot / FTV
