• DISTRICT heating is due to be replaced on Maiden Lane Estate. We are in “consultation” with Camden Council officers.

As reported here before, tenants and residents of communal heating systems are paying three times as much for our heating and hot water as the average user. Week in week out no matter what we use.

Since November 2023, in preparation for a “deep dive council heating meeting” the tenants’ and residents’ association on Maiden Lane have asked a number of simple questions regarding our current costs and standing charges.

Our questions were sidelined and went unanswered.

Since then, we have asked our councillors, officers who set service charges for tenants, the new heating system officers – and everyone we can think of – the same set of questions.

Answering these questions would, at the very least, provide a base line for any future comparison for the value for money of any new heating system.

I reiterate them here:

One. We would like to know how much we are paying for our heat-network gas through the Laser purchasing scheme per kWh, including any effect the EBRS/EBDS [energy bill relief and discount schemes] has had on that per kWh price.

Two. We would like to know the meter readings from the estate boiler room for the last 12-month period so we can understand the total consumption in kWh for the whole estate.

Three. We would like to see the calculation and apportioning of the monthly per kWh gas cost to one-bed, two-bed, three-bed etc units on the estate.

We need this stated separately and alongside infrastructure and standing charges for the heating system so we can understand clearly how many kWh we are using relative to normal consumption levels; and understand what we are paying per kWh compared with the open market.

We need to know what the current standing charges are and what the approved process will be for the calculation of the new standing charge for the new system.

Four. If the Maiden Lane current heating renewal project is significantly delayed again then we are calling for the installation of heat metering on the estate as a lowest common denominator option and want to know this is happening; we believe residents have a right to control over their consumption and bills. Councillor Danny Beales was open to this idea at last year’s AGM.

Five. We would like to know the effect that previous metering installations have had on the consumption of gas on other estates with district heating systems for comparison.

Without answers to these questions how can Camden Council be in any way considered to be “consulting” residents on Maiden Lane.

No doubt other estates in Camden in the same position would also find this information useful. Perhaps Camden could finally answer?

DEIRDRE McEVOY
Maiden Lane
Tenants’ & Residents’ Association