London Homeless Families Denied Air-Conditioning in Temporary Flats

The restriction left flats unbearably hot during recent heatwaves, and two children were taken to hospital with heat-related symptoms.

The Guardian

Local councils use temporary-accommodation tenancies to house otherwise homeless households for periods ranging from weeks to years. These tenancies are managed by lettings agencies; in this case, London-based Aura Assets Management oversees the flats owned by Criterion Capital, a property company founded by billionaire Asif Aziz. Earlier this year Criterion was accused of attempting mass evictions shortly before a ban on no-fault evictions, an allegation the company denied. Residents reported that the all-glass construction and limited window opening made the flats especially prone to overheating without active cooling.

The Guardian

The company added that the situation “has since changed” and encouraged “sensible, rather than continuous, use” of any available cooling to avoid “unexpectedly high utility bills.”

The Guardian

Stuart Neaverson, a Labour councillor in Merton, described the circumstances as “disgraceful” after being told two children required hospital care because of the heat. He and local MP Siobhain McDonagh have been working to assist affected residents. Some households said they were warned that using the air-conditioning could generate a standing charge of up to £500 for the summer.

The Guardian

• Britannia Point: 19-storey, glass-fronted block owned by Criterion Capital.

The Guardian

• Two children hospitalized with heat-related illness.

The Guardian

• Potential utility charge for air-conditioning: up to £500 for the summer.

The Guardian

• “I find that as soon as I enter the building, I become much hotter, start feeling sick and sweat profusely.” — Alice Rogers — Alice Rogers, resident of Britannia Point.

The Guardian