Vulnerable social housing tenants in North London have been left waiting for six years for their local council to complete basic window repairs, with a series of botched jobs leaving them exposed to the cold in a protected Edwardian building.
A saga of failed fixes and freezing conditions
Charlie Cox, who lives with her daughter in a Camden Council property, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that their ordeal began years ago with a procurement process that has seen multiple contractors fail to install suitable windows. The initial contractor was dismissed by the council after fitting windows over 3cm too small, setting off a chain of inadequate repairs.
"Needless to say we are freezing," Ms Cox said, highlighting a severe lack of urgency from the authorities. She and her daughter, both of whom have health conditions, have also had to contend with damp and fungus growing on the walls, which aggravates Ms Cox's asthma.
Botched work and broken promises
Subsequent contractors allegedly made the situation worse. Ms Cox described one team "deliberately knocking out bricks" to force in an oversized window, while others took incorrect measurements. Temporary fixes have left the home colder than it was before the works began.
Despite Ms Cox proactively organising consultations and warning a foreman that chosen windows would not fit, the work proceeded incorrectly. A meeting convened by local councillor Linda Chung in 2023 led to a promise that repairs would be finished within six weeks. Two years later, the work remains incomplete.
Council apology and ongoing dispute
Camden Council has apologised for the "unacceptable" delays. A spokesperson stated: "We want all our residents to live in homes that are safe, warm and dry." They cited the age of the property and the need for specialist contractors as reasons for the extended timeline.
The council also claimed that access to the home was important for timely repairs, a point strongly disputed by Ms Cox, who says officers have wrongly blamed her for the delays. The authority says it is urgently trying to arrange a visit to treat damp and mould and agree a way forward.
A new contractor began work in October 2025, but this resulted in a bathroom window installed too short, with builders pinning a piece of wood at the bottom to bridge the gap, leaving visible space for cold air to enter. The council noted that new double-glazed windows may require brickwork adaptation, a solution Ms Cox is unhappy with given the building's status in a conservation area.
