Camden Council: 'severe' errors over window overheating risk

Now those who uncovered the facts have demanded an apology after the council accused them of spreading "misinformation".

Windows being installed on hundreds of tower block flats will cause overheating unless they are left open to 90 degrees, the Housing Ombudsman has ruled.

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The Ombudsman ruled there was a “failure” in Camden Council’s consultation with residents over the new windows on the Chalcots estate, then “severe maladministration” in its handling of a resulting complaint.

The watchdog is so concerned that it has written to all social housing chiefs, expressing “deep” and “urgent” concerns over how such complaints are handled.

It confirmed to the Ham&High that the national concerns were raised in response to several cases it had handled recently, including the Chalcots estate.

Camden Council will be named in an upcoming report detailing its concerns.

Around 60% of the new windows on the Chalcots estate have already been replaced, despite concerns being raised two years ago after an independent review found they would cause overheating (Image: Archant)

Overheating Risk

The Chalcots tower blocks in Belsize Park, near Swiss Cottage tube station, are being given new facades and windows because they were covered in flammable cladding.

But in August 2022, the Ham&High revealed an independent study had found the new windows would cause overheating.

The council had told residents the new windows would offer a 55% improvement on current overheating – but failed to mention that this was dependent on them being left open 30cm.

The windows have two opening settings – one to 10cm and one to 30cm – each activated by a separate key.

Using a traffic light system, contractor ARUP had marked 12 out of 27 window designs red for overall overheating at 10cm, and another three amber.

All 14 bedroom window designs were graded red for overnight overheating at 10cm, with some fails labelled “severe”.

Several of the new window designs failed overheating tests, according to a report by ARUP (Image: Camden Council)

Cover-up?

But when the results were reproduced for residents during a consultation, the column showing these failures was deleted.

Residents were instructed not to leave children alone in any room with the window open to the 30cm setting, yet not told their children’s bedrooms would overheat if they followed that advice.

Tenant representatives obtained the unedited ARUP results and put up posters warning residents – but the council tore them down and circulated a letter branding them “misinformation”.

We asked the council on what basis it had labelled the posters misinformation. It never answered.

It also never explained why the overheating failures were deleted in its consultation literature.

In consultation literature, Camden Council deleted the column which showed windows had failed overheating tests if only opened to 10cm (Image: Camden Council)

Complaint

Resident Anthony Royle, from the estate’s Bray block, filed a formal complaint with the Housing Ombudsman.

It found the council’s consultation literature “lacks important information”.

“There remains no evidence that the landlord consulted residents about the risks associated with the use of keys, and outstanding safety considerations regarding overheating,” it said.

“The leaflet states that opening the windows to a 90-degree angle is ‘optional’ and notes that children should not be left unattended in a room where the window is open at that angle.

“However, the leaflet fails to detail what actions residents should take in the event they are required to keep the window open at 90 degrees (to purge, or prevent overheating, for example) for long periods.

“It is likely that in the event children are in residence during hot weather conditions, it may be necessary to keep the window open overnight, to ensure the room is kept sufficiently cool…

“The leaflet does not contain information about what actions residents should take to mitigate the risk of falls in these circumstances.”

Complainant Anthony Royle lives in Bray block. He said the council had failed to acknowledge the failings found by the Housing Ombudsman (Image: Archant)

Response

Sagal Abdi-Wali, Labour cabinet member for better homes, insisted the new windows were “safe and easy for residents to use” and designed to make flats “cooler in summer and warmer in winter”.

“The new windows are designed to let in less heat,” she said. “On top of this, they can be opened safely up to 90 degrees to provide further cooling if required.

“We will work with all residents to ensure they understand how the windows operate and can do so.

“The windows have gone through an extensive design process with industry experts and we have engaged with residents extensively over the last six years.

“We have fully co-operated with the ombudsman’s requests and are ready to work with them to provide any further information they require.”

Mr Royle said Camden Council had shown “no acknowledgement” of the failings identified by the ombudsman, “let alone showing contrition and regret at the dangers created by wrong and arrogant decisions taken”.

He added: “We are also now dealing with a situation where the personnel concerned have moved on.”

Former council leader Georgia Gould and two other councillors became MPs on July 4, while Mrs Abdi-Wali was not in charge of housing when the failures occurred.

“I would therefore hope for some acknowledgement by the elected members of the council of their collective responsibility for incompetent management and abusive behaviour to me and representatives of resident associations across the Chalcots,” said Mr Royle.