• FOLLOWING on from your report (Covid ‘non-essential’ repair rule leaving tenants without heating, March 11), I would like to clarify the situation regarding heating repairs in Camden.

The headline suggested that heating repairs in council properties were on hold due to Covid-19 restrictions.

This is not the case and all emergency and essential repairs, which includes heating and hot water, have continued throughout Covid-19 restrictions.

We know the importance of both heating and hot water to maintain a comfortable home and will always attend these with Covid-safe working methods in place, to ensure any repairs that are needed are undertaken as quickly as possible.

While we have tried to deliver as near as regular service as we can, under unique circumstances, since the end of March last year we have responded to well over 100,000 job requests and I would like to thank council staff who have provided this level of service.

The report did highlight the case of one repair that took much longer to complete than we would have liked, but I would like to reassure residents that they can still raise essential and emergency repairs with the council.

Residents can access more information online at www.camden.gov.uk/housing-repairs or call us on 020 7974 4444 option 3 then 1 to report an urgent or emergency repair.

CLLR MERIC APAK
Cabinet Member for Better Homes