Councillor James Murray described the bedsits as “shoebox” in size
By Nur Ünal
Islington council has discovered 19 tiny flats crammed into a single building on Holloway Road and banned them from being rented out.
The building that was formerly used as a hostel in the community was converted without planning permission into 19 small flats, and is said to be well below the council’s guide to minimum size standards.
James Murray, executive member for housing and development in Islington council, said: “These ‘shoebox flats’ are not fit for tenants – they are well below our minimum size standards.”
He continued: “There’s a housing crisis in London and so a lot of people are desperate to find anywhere to live. But we have to draw a line and stop people being exploited, so we’ve stopped these flats being rented out again.”
The flats were uncovered as part of a program that started in May which aimed to survey the quality of private-sector homes, focusing specifically on Holloway Road. After discovering the small flats, the council concluded that they could not be rented out in their current state.
Further investigations are now being made by the council into the apparent breach in fire safety regulations in the building. Councilor Murray added: “Everyone deserves a decent place to live, and desperate people should not be crammed into tiny flats.”