EAST BUFFALO — An East Buffalo woman contacted 7 Problem Solvers regarding a broken boiler in the home she rents. Terri Johnson said it had been like this for close to two weeks, and her landlord has not expressed urgency in fixing it.
"It's like a freezer in here," explained Johnson.
When 7 Problem Solver Michael Schwartz went to the home last week, he could see his own breath as the thermostat read 49 degrees.
Johnson had space heaters throughout her home, but it remained chilly.
"I have respiratory problems I'mm dealing with, on top of being in the cold, trying not to catch pneumonia," explained Johnson.
Schwartz called the landlord in New York City, calling this "unacceptable."
The landlord said he takes this situation very seriously. He said a repairman went to Johnson's home after Johnson first alerted him of the issue. The landlord said the repairman came at night, and Johnson said she was already in bed.
“What is he going to fix at 7 at night?” said Johnson.
In the following days the landlord said other technicians went to the home, and the issue was hard to diagnose. However they learned the boiler needed a new ignitor part. The landlord said no stores in or around Buffalo had the part so he had to order it right from the manufacturer, which is what took long.
Schwartz spoke to the landlord on March 1, and was told the part would be coming on March 3. The part ended up coming on March 1, and a technician installed it by that night so Johnson could have heat once again.
If you need help solving a problem, email Michael at 7ProblemSolvers@WKBW.com
