FOI release

FOI request - excess heat in council houses

Some or all of the information requested was not provided because we didn't hold it.

Case reference FOI2026/00645

Received 26 June 2026

Published 24 July 2026

Request

Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and/or Environmental Information Regulations 2004, please provide me with the following information: * * * A list of the council houses owned and managed by this council where category 1 “excess heat” hazards have been identified, but not yet * resolved. * * * * Please provide the date on which the category 1 “excess heat” hazard was originally identified, on each occasion. * * * * A list of the council houses owned and managed by this council where category 2 “excess heat” hazards have been identified, but not yet * resolved. * * * * Please provide the date on which the category 2 “excess heat” hazard was identified, on each occasion. * If it is not possible to provide the name of each council property, please just anonymise the properties (e.g. property 1, property 2 etc.). If you require any clarification, I expect you to contact me under your section 16 duty to provide advice and assistance if you find any aspect of this FOI request problematic. Please acknowledge receipt of this request. I look forward to receiving the information in the near future. Yours faithfully, Josh Gabbatiss -- Josh Gabbatiss Climate Policy Correspondent, Carbon Brief Bluesky: @joshgabbatiss.bsky.social Phone: +44 (0) 7746704994 Web: www.carbonbrief.org Need a digest of the latest climate change-related headlines from the UK, China and around the world sent to your inbox? You can sign up to all of Carbon Brief's free email newsletters here.

Response

In accordance with section 1(1)(a) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA), Oxford City Council (OCC) confirms that it does not hold information falling within the scope of your request.

Following searches of OCC’s relevant records, no information has been identified relating to unresolved category 1 or category 2 excess heat hazards in OCC-owned and managed housing.

OCC therefore does not hold a list of properties where unresolved category 1 excess heat hazards have been identified, a list of properties where unresolved category 2 excess heat hazards have been identified, or records of the dates on which any such hazards were identified.

OCC has also considered whether the requested information falls within the definition of environmental information under regulation 2(1) of the Environmental Information Regulations 2004 (EIR). Information concerning excess heat hazards, housing conditions and the potential effect of those conditions on residents may constitute environmental information.

To the extent that the request falls to be considered under the EIR, regulation 12(4)(a) applies. Regulation 12(4)(a) provides that a public authority may refuse to disclose information where it does not hold that information at the time the request is received.

OCC recognises the public interest in transparency concerning the condition of OCC housing, the identification of housing hazards and the protection of residents from the effects of excessive heat. However, the Council cannot disclose information that it does not hold.

Having considered the presumption in favour of disclosure under regulation 12(2) of the EIR, OCC has concluded that regulation 12(4)(a) applies to any environmental information falling within the scope of the request.

If you disagree with any part of the response to your request, you are entitled to ask the Council for an internal review of the decision(s) made. You may do this by writing to the Monitoring Officer, by either email monitoringofficer@oxford.gov.uk – or by post to Monitoring Officer, Oxford City Council, Town Hall, St Aldate’s, Oxford, OX1 1BX. After the result of the internal review, if you remain dissatisfied, you may ask the Information Commissioner to intervene on your behalf. You may do this by writing to the Information Commissioner's Office, Wycliffe Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF.

Yours sincerely,

Freedom of Information Officer

Documents

There are no documents for this release.

This is Oxford City Council's response to a freedom of information (FOI) or environmental information regulations (EIR) request.

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