Council tenants were taking action over damp in their flats.

Tenants in Newington Green’s Mayville Estate – which was only three years old – took the issue up with London County Council.

But after an “unsatisfactory” response, the newly formed tenants and residents’ association wrote directly to the government’s minister for housing.

The letter read: “Considerable dampness occurs in certain flats. This renders some rooms uninhabitable during the winter months.

“All 360 tenants on the Mayville Estate belong to our organisation. There is considerable disappointment among members towards the attitude of the council. We received very little assurance our complaints would be dealt with.”