Forced to use electric radiators or other means to warm their homes, the affected individuals have shared their ongoing struggles with 24.hu, collectively voicing dissatisfaction with the municipal company responsible for property management.

Initially reported in early February, the ordeal faced by the residents of the Stadion Street 14-16 building, located in the Gyárváros district of Győr, has seen little to no improvement. "Since January 17, our gas has been shut off, and this is how we've endured the heating season. A pressure test indicated that both the gas meter and the indoor pipes need replacing. However, Győr-Szol has yet to address this, despite three months passing. It's their responsibility, particularly for the municipal-owned apartments, yet nothing has been done," shared Tímea Kósa, a resident currently living with three children in one of the municipal apartments at stairwell 14.

Tímea's attempts to seek help, including writing to the mayor, have been met with silence. "Those of us renting municipal apartments seem to be left in the dark, even more so than those owning their properties. We can't vote at general meetings; effectively, everything happens over our heads. Despite paying increased communal fees for an unheated apartment where we can't even cook with gas, there have been no resident meetings or substantial communication," Tímea lamented.

Mold on Walls and Clothing

The situation has led to significant additional costs and health issues for the families involved. "The need to upgrade our electric meter to handle higher amperage came at our own expense. Everyone in the family has gotten sick since, not to mention the difficulty in heating water for bathing or cooking on a small electric stove lent by a friend," she explained back in February.

By April 11, when revisited, the situation had worsened, with Tímea reporting persistent mold on walls and clothing due to the inability to sufficiently heat or ventilate their home. Ildikó Konfai, another resident from a privately owned apartment in stairwell 16, shared suspicions about potential causes of the gas service interruption and expressed dissatisfaction with Győr-Szol's lack of communication and response.

Győr-Szol, in their defense, attributed the gas leakage to the aging infrastructure and denied any impacts from interior renovations. However, the company's response did not address the residents' other concerns, including the cost of necessary repairs or the delay in voting proposed by the property management in May 2023.

As the residents face mounting costs and ongoing discomfort, questions remain about the comprehensive restoration of gas services and the support available from both the property management company and municipal authorities. With some repairs only beginning in mid-April and the local government's apparent inaction, the affected individuals of Stadion Street 14-16 are left seeking answers and solutions as they endure a challenging and cold reality.