‘If Camden Council were really concerned about its tenants, it would seek to access the free energy source of the sun’

• I SPEND most of my time travelling to work or being at work. I never turn on the heating, even in the coldest winters, having been brought up without central heating.

In my small studio, I boil up a gas kettle to bathe and for cooking or to make a cup of tea, so my gas consumption is minimal throughout the year.

Camden Council informed me that the cost of my gas usage for the year 2021-2022 equalled £8.95. However the standing charge, including VAT, equalled £168.87, which means that I pay £160 in standing charge.

I am a council tenant so the gas is added to the rent. I have no choice but to pay for the draconian hike in standing charges which will, no doubt, increase again in October.

The council are wasting a good energy source from the sun by not placing solar panels on the roof of each tower block on the Chalcots.

Camden Council say that the roof would not hold them. Solar panels come in all shapes, weights, and sizes these days.

There are solar panels on the roof of the UCL Academy on the Adelaide Road opposite the Chalcots estate tower blocks, so why not on the tower blocks?

The council may complain that the cost of solar panels is excessive but over years they would pay for themselves.

The energy generated from solar panels on the roof of each block could be used to supply cheap electricity and heating to each flat. The council could sell any excess energy to National Grid.

But the council themselves are involved in back-room dealing with overseas, private energy contractors who are plundering the pockets of tenants by jumping on the bandwagon of using the excuse to explain the dramatic hike in energy costs by blaming the Russian-Ukraine war; and reduced supplies and higher running costs to explain away the excessive standing charges that customers are being “blackmailed” into paying.

The same applies to the water companies, whose standing charges are excessive, so they can pay overseas shareholders and fat-cat bosses huge amounts in dividends and obscene salaries. This while neglecting to repair the infrastructure of leaking pipes all over London and the home counties.

If Camden Council were really concerned about its tenants, it would seek to access the free energy source of the sun and do better deals to ensure that its tenants were not being held to ransom for the basic necessities of gas, electricity and water.

However, as long as the back-pockets are well-padded by private contractors who they keep on the council payroll, they don’t care about tenants’ hardship.

NAME AND ADDRESS SUPPLIED, NW3