Islington Council is set to give tenants more control over their heating systems as part of ongoing efforts to improve housing conditions and resident comfort. The long-term solution involves giving people the control over it themselves, with a rollout across different states that is expected to take a number of years to do.

The Homes and Communities Scrutiny Committee discussed the issue during a meeting on Tuesday, January 6, 2026. Councillor Elizabeth Emmanuel raised concerns about heating being switched off in buildings during cold spells, particularly for vulnerable residents.

A dashboard displaying key metrics from the Tenancy & Property Audit, including visit success rates, property condition issues like damp and mould, anti-social behaviour reports, and resident support information.
A dashboard displaying key metrics from the Tenancy & Property Audit, including visit success rates, property condition issues like damp and mould, anti-social behaviour reports, and resident support information.Source: Homes and Communities Scrutiny Committee papers, 6 January 2026

In response to concerns about cold spells, the council confirmed that while the individual heating controls are being rolled out, it has a monitoring centre that can respond. The current criteria for the monitoring centre's response to cold spells are not specified beyond its general ability to respond during such periods.

Communal heating is currently operational for an average of 13 hours a day, with a break in the middle of the day. This is described as about five hours a day more than the average person on an individual heat system uses themselves when they don't control it directly. The council has indicated it would be able to provide costs to compare the expense of communal heating for tenants against individual systems.

The transition to individual heating controls is a gradual process, with the programme taking several years to complete. Measures are in place to support vulnerable residents during this period, including the monitoring centre's ability to respond to cold spells.

More information on the council's housing and property audits can be found in the Public reports pack 06th Jan 2026 19:30 Homes and Communities Scrutiny Committee.