The group, composed of dozens of tenants and leaseholders living across 32 flats at Hackney Council-owned Pitcairn House, claim their block is plagued with leaks and mould.
In a letter sent at the start of April, they accused the local authority of “flagrant breaches of responsibility as our landlord”.
They added that they would withhold half of their service charge starting today (May 1) until action is taken to resolve outstanding issues in the block, which looks out onto Mare Street.
The letter lists 20 problems that residents would like resolved by the end of the first half of 2026.
It also demands that the council resolves the most urgent issues, including replacing broken lifts, fixing leaks, dealing with mould, and removing “block filth”, by the end of June this year.
Zoë Goodman, one Pitcairn House leaseholders, said that people living in the block were “absolutely irate” at the slow pace of repairs.
“The things that need sorting out needed sorting out years ago,” she explained.
“It’s deeply frustrating. All we want is to feel safe and proud and happy to live in homes that are warm and dry.
“It’s not like we are asking for the moon, but the council seems extremely reluctant and unable to uphold its basic obligations as our landlord.”
The Hackney Gazette has previously reported on serious cases of leaks across the block.
One tenant had to move her fridge into the communal corridor and her furniture onto her balcony for two months after leaks damaged her kitchen and living room.
Residents’ demands come after Freedom of Information (FoI) data showed that leaseholders in the block pay £700 more than the borough average.
“Withholding our service charge is a last resort,” Goodman claimed.
“It’s a desperate measure to try and get the council to engage with us to find solutions to the many problems, some of which are extremely urgent.
“We all would like to pay a reasonable service charge for good services, but some of us are paying astronomical service charges for hugely substandard services.”
Kain Roach, operations director of Hackney Council property services, has apologised to affected residents, but claims the authority is facing “unprecedented pressures” on its housing budget.
He added that although the council is trying to resolve the issues at Pitcairn House, he warned that some problems would “take time to resolve”.
“The money we collect through rents and service charges are the only funding we have to repair and enhance our homes and the communal areas for our tenants,” he explained.
“Withholding the service charge is in breach of the leaseholder terms and conditions and we would always encourage leaseholders to pay the required amount.
“However, we will review all charges being made in respect of the repairs and maintenance at Pitcairn and confirm with residents the necessary works have been undertaken or are as accurately estimated as possible.”
