Rough sleepers have been using bin sheds as makeshift homes for more than a year.

The sheds have been broken into at several locations in the Campsbourne Road area of Hornsey and used as living quarters.

Haringey Borough Council has been aware of the issue for more than a year but the situation is yet to be resolved.

One shed in Pembroke Road, Hornsey, between the Campsbourne housing estate, two building sites and Campsbourne Road, has had its rear wall smashed so that from the front it appears undisturbed.

A homeowner from Campsbourne Road, who did not want to be named, said that the tactic of breaking in at the back was adopted after the council kept replacing and reinforcing the front doors.

He said: “It’s been going on for well over a year and the council has done nothing about it.

“It’s disgusting really because the place smells and you see bottles of urine left outside, I’ve even seen human faeces near the shed.

“It isn’t fair on people who pay their rent and council tax to have to put up with that.”

Tottenham Independent:

Many members of the surrounding community have been aware of people sleeping rough in this way for months.

Jamie Wilcox, 38, said: “It’s very sad that people find themselves in a position where they feel living like that is a suitable option, but when it comes to the detriment of those living around them then something needs to be done.

“I think the council should be doing more to help these people.”

The use of the sheds continued through the coldest months of the winter and will become more frequent during the summer months, according to the council.

A spokesman for Haringey Borough Council said: “We’re aware of the issues in the Campsbourne Road area, where occasionally bin sheds are used by different groups of homeless people to sleep in, and we’ve been promoting information about shelters and ways to find help.

“We’re determined to help those facing homelessness find safe and secure accommodation and tackle the issues faced by neighbours, and we’ll be launching a dedicated project with our partners in the area later this year.”

The council works with homelessness charities St Mungos Broadway and Thames Reach in order to provide help and support.

Director of communications at Thames Reach Mike Nicholas urged people contact them when they see rough sleepers so that their outreach teams can help.

He said: “We can help homeless people and communities by getting vulnerable people of the streets and into support programmes but we can only do that when we know where they are.”

The London Street Rescue team can be contacted on 0300 500 0914 to alert support services when people are found sleeping rough.