Hundreds of Derwent freshers have been left without hot water for three days

Angry first years have been left without hot water for three days this week, after a boiler breakdown cut off the supply to an entire block.

Residents at the Derwent Apartments first noticed problems at the weekend, when the supply stopped abruptly and without warning.

Maintenance teams said it was the result of a broken gas valve, which meant that until the replacement part arrived, hundreds of Derwent freshers had to go without hot running water.

The boiler failure also affected the central heating system.

Huddling for warmth, Rachel Kilburn, Tass Siracusa, Ed Finch, and Chloe Calkin.

The problem was finally fixed on Tuesday afternoon, more than two days after it was initially reported.

First year Medic Tass Siracusa, 21, said on Monday night: “I’ve just had netball training and I had an anatomy session before that, so I currently smell like dead people and sweat.

“Either I’m going to have to wash my hair in a sink, or dry shampoo’s going to have to be my friend. It’s pretty disgusting, to be honest.”

Tass, 21, is close to washing her hair with kettle water in the sink.

Her flatmate Ed Finch, 22, joked there was “an enticing aroma” of unwashed bodies around the building but also noted people had begun to lose their patience.

“They originally said it was going to be fixed by late Sunday, but it wasn’t, and then they just wouldn’t promise anything about when it would be mended.”

“They gave us these two little electric heaters, which are just a bit inadequate really. There’s ten of us in this flat, sharing two tiny radiators. It’s stupid.”

One of the heaters lent to residents affected by the boiler breakdown

The en-suite flats cost £126 a week in rent.

Tori Fitch a Geography fresher said: “Given the price we’re paying, it does make me cross that this took days to fix.”

The ACS have not responded for comment.

#PrayForDerwent