Homeless families in London temporary housing told not to use air conditioning

Exclusive: Two children taken to hospital during heatwaves after residents told units in glass-fronted block ‘not offered as amenity’

Homeless families placed in temporary accommodation in London were told they could not use the in-built air conditioning as it had “not been offered as an amenity” for them, leading to two children being hospitalised during recent heatwaves.

Other families placed in Britannia Point in Colliers Wood, south-west London, also experienced such stifling conditions that young children became ill. The company managing some of the tenancies involved told the Guardian households in temporary accommodation had now been told they could use the air conditioning.

However, some residents said they were informed that if they used the system they would be billed via a standing charge rather than for how long the air conditioning ran, which could result in bills of up to £500 for the summer.

The 19-storey glass-fronted block is owned by Criterion Capital, set up by the billionaire property magnate Asif Aziz. The company was accused this year of trying to mass-evict tenants shortly before no-fault evictions were banned, something it has denied.

The temporary accommodation tenancies, in which councils place otherwise homeless households in properties for periods that can last from weeks to years, are managed separately by lettings agencies, one of them London-based Aura Assets Management.

After a tenant complained to the building management about their air conditioning not working, they were sent an email, seen by the Guardian, which said that under the tenancy as managed by Aura, air conditioning “has been switched off” for households in emergency accommodation.

It went on: “Air conditioning has not been offered as an amenity under these arrangements, and the units cannot be switched back on as a result. You are welcome to use a portable fan or portable air conditioning unit at your own arrangement in the meantime.”

Residents say the all-glass construction of the block and the fact that windows open only slightly mean that, without air conditioning, their flats have become unbearably hot.

“It is very difficult to cool the flats down,” one person said. “I find that as soon as I enter the building, I become much hotter, start feeling sick and sweat profusely.”

Alice Rogers, who lives in Britannia Point with her four-year-old son, Hassan, said they regularly had to leave the block due to the heat. “There is a window that you can open, but there’s not much of a difference that makes,” she said. “Whether you open it or close it, it’s just literally the same.”

She added: “My son had a nosebleed the other day and was faint. I’m very much worried about his life.”

Stuart Neaverson, a Labour councillor in Merton who has been trying to help people in Britannia Point along with the local MP, Labour’s Siobhain McDonagh, said he had been told about two children being taken to hospital because of the heat, calling the situation “disgraceful”.

He added: “With another heatwave imminent, it’s vital that air conditioning is restored immediately to everyone in the tower to help prevent a tragedy.”

A statement from Aura Assets Management said the air conditioning was now “fully operational and tenants have been advised that they are welcome to use it”. It went on: “Given the exceptionally warm weather this summer, we have also encouraged sensible, rather than continuous, use, simply to help residents avoid unexpectedly high utility bills – not to discourage use of a service that exists for their comfort.”

When asked about the email sent to a resident saying tenants in temporary accommodation were not given access to air conditioning, the company said that this “was issued by the building management based on the information and operational arrangements in place at the time”.

This email was sent to a “couple of flats”, they said, adding: “The situation has since changed.”

Criterion has been contacted for comment.