South Hampstead estate residents without heating for six weeks

Penny Chandler, who works as a nanny, said despite calls and emails to landlord Camden Council, she has been left without heating since November 1. 

She is one of several tenants in the Alexandra and Ainsworth Estate, known as Rowley Way, who say they have experienced repeated problems over a number of years.

Camden, which has plans for a £14 million overhaul of the South Hampstead estate's system, completed some repairs on Tuesday - but Penny and some neighbours are still without heating.

“The council have given us tiny heaters, but I can’t sleep with them on," she said.

She said she is now being forced to spend Christmas away from home.

“It’s just unfair on me and my son," she said.

Nika constantly called Camden Council over the lack of heating but received no response (Image: Tara Anson-Walsh)

Another resident, Nika, who is an artist, said: “I have been sick two out of the last four weeks since the heating went down. One of my neighbours was forced to leave because of it. It’s not good for people’s mental health.”

Lamis, another resident who has lived on the estate since 1996, said: “Every year, especially when it’s really cold, there’s an issue with the heating."

She is having to use electric heaters, provided by the council to keep warm her young children and grandchildren, who are staying with her.

Camden Council apologised for the time it has taken to carry out repairs and said it would be compensating residents for the additional cost of using heaters, as well as issuing a rebate on their heating charge.

Camden Council says it is investing £14m into investing in heating at Alexandra & Ainsworth Estate after residents went without for more than a month (Image: Tara Anson-Walsh)

A spokesperson said on Thursday: “We have been made aware that some residents still have heating issues and we will work with them to repair these as soon as possible.

“The council is investing over £14 million into Rowley Way to make the heating system much more energy efficient and reliable, alongside window improvements to make homes warmer.

"The estate’s heating and hot water district network is to be renewed next year to provide residents with a reliable, efficient service, and in residents’ homes we will be installing new vacuum double-glazed windows, which will help to keep their homes warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer.”

Alexandra and Ainsworth Estate is a Grade II listed building which was designed by Neave Brown in the late 1960s.