Mr Duggan says the extreme cold in his home has even caused several shaving mirrors to crack during winter.
Looking ahead, he fears for his safety: “With my health conditions, I’m not sure I’ll survive this winter.”
He adds, “It’s getting harder and harder. I can’t keep the house warm—it’s just unaffordable, and takes hours to heat up.” He says he went away for six weeks this year and came home to a gas and electricity bill of £180.
Ray Harrington-Vail, a project officer at the National Energy Foundation, wrote to MP Miatta Fahnbulleh describing Duggan’s situation as extreme: “I’ve seen many cases of severe poverty, especially fuel poverty, but this gentleman is in truly dire straits. His sub-standard council housing is worsening his serious health problems.”
Mr Duggan says he has spent the past decade asking the council to improve his home’s insulation.
He showed the News emails dating back to 2018, including one from Councillor Hargrove to Southwark Council urging housing officers to address the “extremely poor and health-threatening lack of insulation” at the rear of the property. MPs Harriet Harman and Miatta Fahnbulleh have also supported his calls for action.
In 2022, Duggan filed a housing disrepair claim against the council. While some work was completed in January this year, he calls it “worthless,” saying only 25mm of internal plasterboard was installed instead of the 100–200mm typically recommended for flat roofs.
He says his back roof consists of just 25mm of plasterboard, a void, timber, and asphalt—leaving minimal protection from the elements.
Mr Duggan says blocked drains cause rainwater to run down his walls, soaking the brickwork and worsening cold and damp in his home. He suffers from dyspnoea and recurring chest infections, which he believes are aggravated by these conditions.
He says fixing the roof properly would require stripping it entirely and erecting scaffolding. Council emails confirm no major kitchen or bathroom works are planned until 2026–27.
Although landlords must provide an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) to new tenants, Duggan—who moved in during the late 1970s—never received one and says repeated requests over the past two years have gone unanswered. He notes that a ground-floor flat in the same building, rated EPC C, is far better insulated, while a neighbouring property with shared walls has an EPC F, the lowest rating on the street.
“I moved here when I was 19 and never felt the cold,” he says. “Now, I just don’t want to live here anymore. I’m broken.”
Because of his health needs, Duggan requires a flat with a wet room and either ground-floor access or a stairlift. He has been on the housing bidding system for five years, but suitable properties are rare.
A Southwark Council spokesperson said they were aware of the case and had carried out improvement works in January 2025, including installing thermal boards on the main roof, which they say was in good condition. They also upgraded other areas, adding handrails, new flooring, electric mirrors, a hob, and custom door handles. The council said they had referred Duggan to their landlord services team for fuel poverty support.
