The Tulse Hill Estate
Back in summer 2022, our Community Action team began door-knocking across Tulse Hill Estate, listening to residents to get a real sense of life on the estate. Over the next two and a half years we held 121 one-to-one conversations with residents from more than 250 of the estate’s 882 homes. These conversations painted a rich picture of what people value about their community, and the changes they want to see.
Through this listening process, we found residents who loved their area but had concerns. The most deeply and widely felt issues revolved around damp and mould, affecting more than half of the residents we spoke to. Many residents were being blamed for causing the damp and mould in their properties through lifestyle choices, such as drying their clothes in the wrong place or not opening their windows. However, residents were sure that in most cases, the issues were structural, caused by problems with guttering, drainage, balconies, roofing, etc.
We started bringing residents together towards the end of 2022, with leaders from the community emerging through the process. In mid-2023, these leaders formed a group called Tulse Hill Estate Unites, aiming to organise and act on the issues identified through the listening campaign. They developed three key demands: for an independent environmental inspection, an estate improvement plan based on its findings, and a single point of contact senior enough to be accountable for the plan. With our support, the group created a website and sufficient organisation to run effectively.
Shortly after forming, the group faced a major issue when flashing from a chimney fell through a group member’s roof, damaging their bedroom ceiling. Despite being flagged as an emergency, the repair was delayed for over six months, eventually leading to the ceiling’s collapse. The groups work to highlight this, gained media attention, including from The Guardian. Senior housing officers attended the next TRA meeting to apologise but denied any structural failings. Subsequent Freedom of Information (FOI) requests revealed that the council was aware that £7.5 million was needed to repair the estate over the next decade. Towards the end of 2023, the group launched a Complaints Campaign, supporting 18 residents in filing complaints about damp and mould, two of which were escalated to the housing ombudsman.
Press coverage
The group also launched a petition calling for an independent environmental inspection and an estate improvement plan- they received a written response from Lambeth Council’s Cabinet Lead for Housing in June 2024, which revealed nearly 500 hazards on the estate — around 100 of which were classified as life-threatening.
The groups work, including the press coverage, came to the attention of McGuire Woods who started to help the group on a pro-bono basis, including engaging Ridge, a professional surveying firm, to carry out an independent environmental inspection. The inspection confirmed widespread structural issues contributing to damp and mould across the estate.
In January 2025, High Trees Community Action teams’ support for the group concluded, marked by a final action: a deputation to Lambeth Council. During a full cabinet meeting, the group publicly presented their concerns and sought direct responses from the council.
Tulse Hill Estate Unites continue to take forward in their campaign for safe, damp- and mould-free homes. Their efforts have already led to a noticeable increase in damp and mould repairs across the estate—a powerful testament to the impact of sustained, resident-led action.