Islington Council's Homes and Communities Scrutiny Committee met on Thursday, 18 December 2025, to discuss key housing issues, including asbestos management, tenant satisfaction, and housing management practices. The committee, chaired by Councillor Hannah McHugh (Chair of Homes and Communities Scrutiny Committee and Equalities Champion), reviewed a range of reports and updates related to these critical areas.

The meeting, held at the Resources Department Town Hall, included Resident Observers Emmanuel Beck, Elizabeth Emmanuel, and Cassandra Flavius.

Asbestos Management and Tenant Satisfaction

The committee received an update on asbestos management and complaints, focusing on tenant satisfaction measures and planned improvements for 2025/26. The update included information on the number of asbestos surveys and removals conducted over the past year, as detailed in the TMS Asbestos Report Update, as well as the number of complaints received regarding asbestos issues. Tenant satisfaction with the council's handling of asbestos issues and complaints was also reviewed, alongside planned improvements for the upcoming year.

Housing Management Scrutiny

The Housing Management Scrutiny Report was a key discussion point. The report included information on the Decent Homes Standard, progress in reducing empty homes, performance in repairs and maintenance, complaint handling, and strategies to improve tenant engagement. The Housing Management Scrutiny Report also contained a number of recommendations for improvement.

The report provided insights into how the council is performing in terms of repairs and maintenance, the number of empty homes and the council's efforts to bring them back into use, and how the council is engaging with tenants.