Residents of a Central London housing estate, where blocks were deemed at risk of collapse, now face a fresh financial crisis: soaring energy bills linked to a new heating system installed as part of essential safety works.
'I'm scared to turn on the heating'
Pensioner Kelvin, a resident of Fingest House on the Lisson Green estate in Marylebone, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) he is now forced to choose between paying for heat and buying food. He claims the new communal heating network, promised to be cheaper, is instead costing him at least an extra £250 a year.
"I'm struggling," Kelvin said. "I'm a single occupant. I only use the hot water to have a shower... I'm scared to turn on the heating because of the cost." As a recipient of housing benefit and pension credit, he fears he cannot afford the new 'network distribution' charge and is terrified the council will treat non-payment as rent arrears, leading to eviction.
Safety works lead to unexpected charges
The financial strain stems from urgent safety works initiated by Westminster City Council. Following changes to building regulations, the council began phasing out gas supplies to the estate's 24 Large Panel System (LPS) blocks from December 2022.
LPS structures, like the one used in the partially collapsed Ronan Point tower in 1968, are considered potentially unsafe in the event of a gas explosion. The council paid to decommission the gas network and install external Heat Interface Units (HIUs) at no direct charge to residents.
However, residents now receive a separate charge to cover heat loss during generation and distribution. Kelvin's bills for a six-month period showed a £132 network distribution charge, even after a partial refund for a council billing error. He claims the charge varies unfairly between households and was introduced without proper consultation.
Council transparency and contractor concerns questioned
Achim Von Malotki, chair of the Tenants' and Residents' Association, criticised the council's lack of transparency over billing. Works on the estate have also been delayed, with the completion deadline pushed from the end of 2025 into 2026.
Separately, questions have been raised about fire safety measures. The LDRS discovered the council spent over £2.8 million in 2025 on a 'waking watch' service, where wardens patrolled the estate 24/7 before a permanent fire alarm was installed.
Residents and video evidence suggested some wardens, contracted from a company called The Way Forward, were poorly trained, spent excessive time on phones, and struggled with English. National guidance states such personnel must be highly trained for emergencies.
A Westminster City Council spokesperson stated: "Residents will not be charged for these [safety] works. Despite this, we are aware that some of our residents were incorrectly billed. This was an error. We have since apologised, corrected this error and refunded any residents who paid."
The spokesperson added that concerns over contractors' behaviour would be investigated fully, reiterating that resident safety is the council's priority.
