Studies Highlight Severe Overheating in Low Income Housing in UK and Hong Kong

Recent reports from the United Kingdom and Hong Kong reveal that residents in inadequate housing are suffering from extreme indoor temperatures during summer heatwaves. In Hong Kong, a survey of 86 households conducted by CarbonCare InnoLab and the Concerning Subdivided Units Alliance found that apparent temperatures in subdivided flats and rooftop huts reached as high as 52.21 degrees Celsius. This study noted that 80 percent of homemakers in these homes reported dizziness and headaches, while 83 percent said they often or always felt fatigued.

Similarly, in the United Kingdom, research from Citizens Advice and analysis of the 2023 English Housing Survey indicate that social renters are living in homes that act as heat traps. Approximately 51 percent of social housing tenants stated they lack basic controls to stop their homes from overheating, and 11 percent reported that their homes are uncomfortably warm at all times, causing physical distress. Some UK renters have resorted to sleeping on balconies or taping damp sheets to windows to cope with the heat.

Financial burdens further complicate the situation for these residents. In the UK, 30 percent of social renters reported financial losses or unexpected costs due to the weather, including higher energy bills from cooling equipment. In Hong Kong, average nighttime temperatures in these units reached 29.42 degrees, exceeding the local threshold for a hot night.

Legal and systemic responses vary by region. In the UK, the second phase of Awaab's Law will be rolled out in November, which will legally require landlords to address severe heating issues that endanger health.