Some of the 275 residents have signed the petition battling the council’s decision to ‘lease off’ bin sheds to a private company

• THE London Borough of Islington’s website says, “the Housing Act 1985, section 105 sets out the duty that the council has to consult on changes to the management and maintenance of our homes or a change in policy or practice that is likely to substantially affect our secure tenants”.

It goes on to explain how it will do this, including consulting tenants’ and residents’ associations, TRAs, on local issues.

But almost two years ago Islington leased off the large bin store on the Finsbury Estate without even telling tenants and residents that they had done so; let alone holding any consultation with us about the potential impact, (Rubbish idea: estate tenants sign petition against council plan to lease off bin sheds, August 26).

In your report an unnamed council spokesperson says that the bin store had not been in use since 2018 – [perhaps a year before Covid-19 and its lockdowns and when the council wasn’t anyway engaging with its tenants] – seemingly as a get-out for the council’s failure to adhere to its obligations.

In written communication the council simply said that officers had deemed the store to be “surplus to Finsbury Estate’s tenants’ needs”.

Neither constitute justifiable reasons for not consulting with us about the proposed leasing of part of our estate – the management and maintenance of which is paid for through our rents and service charges.

RICHARD LARCOMBE
Chair, Finsbury Estate
Tenants’ & Residents’ Association