Families in London temporary housing denied air conditioning

Families living in temporary accommodation in a London glass tower were told they could not use the building's air conditioning on 27 July. The decision occurred during a heatwave, according to a letter from Fernando Quintana Marrero published by The Guardian. While the building contains an air-conditioning system designed to make the structure habitable, the cooling was not offered to the residents as an amenity.

Housing conditions in temporary accommodation

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The accommodation in question is a glass tower used for temporary housing. Residents include vulnerable families and young children. Fernando Quintana Marrero stated in a letter to The Guardian that children in these units became sick after being denied access to the cooling systems.

This is no longer a housing crisis, it is a crisis of basic human dignity.

Fernando Quintana Marrero, London resident

The gap between luxury and temporary housing

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The situation highlights a disparity between London's high-value real estate and the conditions in temporary housing. Fernando Quintana Marrero argued that while the city markets itself as a global financial capital with luxury developments, families are being housed in flats that become excessively hot. It remains unclear which specific local authority or private operator manages the building in question.