WEMBLEY MATTERS News and views on local politics, the environment, climate change, culture and local history
From London Renters Union
Rising rents destroy our communities. The government is more interested in building expensive flats than stopping the rent hikes. Tenants in Europe are taking action and winning. Now, we must take to the streets to demand housing justice!
If you can't afford the rent in Brent meet other London Renters Union members and supporters at the 98 bus stop at Willesden Bus Garage on Pound Lane for the bus to central London at 10.30am.
Full meeting on Sat 2 Nov, 12-4pm Willesden NW10 2JR Renters, tenants join us!
New members always welcome.
In a unique event in Brent, around 100 people gathered in Willesden yesterday to negotiate the demands of Brent Private Renters for action by Brent Council against landlords who failed to remedy damp and mould in their properties. The meeting was a mixture of a detailed questioning akin to a Scrutiny Meeting, and a US style Town Hall meeting with passionate testimonies by renters about their treatment at the hands of their landlords and Brent Council officers.
One contributor said that this was an attempt to hold the council to account and to their credit Muhammed Butt, Leader of the Council and Cllr Promise Knight, Lead member for Housing, took on the challenge. It is a strategy that other campaigns may do well to sdopt.
The councillors and representatives from Brent Renters sat around a large table on the stage and the lively audience witnessed the proceedings from the floor. The recording below gives you a taste - it is dark because slides were projected to show the evidence that had been gathered.
Images of damp and mould projected on the wall
It was clear that Brent Renters had managed to organise a very broad cross-section of the community and I was struck by the passion and eloquence of the several Somali women who spoke, sometimes in Somali, with controlled righteous anger about their experiences.
Brent Renters had set out the basic facts and their demands:
Most of the Private Rented housing stock in Brent is old and very badly maintained. 65.7% is preWWII (relating to more than 100,000 residents), much of that 19th century. Landlords have no incentive to do repairs when the power to evict is so great, the demand is so high, and the punishment is so lacking.
The council estimates that 10,108 family homes have a serious health hazard in them, In the areas with the most dangerous housing (those that a selective licensing scheme has just been agreed within - Willesden Green, Dollis Hill, and Harlesden and Kensal Green) the council aims to deal with at most 10% of the most serious hazards this year.
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In the vast majority of the borough (everywhere outside Wembley Park) 1 in every 5 private rented homes contains a serious danger to the health and safety of tenants, more than double the London average (9%).
In the worst wards, there are an estimated 2374 properties with at least one Category 1 hazard. The council’s plans for this year involve dealing with 250 hazards of any severity- many properties have multiple hazards, and many hazards are category 2, so in fact the council is likely to make far less than 10% of these properties free from serious risk this year.
It’s outrageous that many of us are paying £2000 a month in rent to get asthma and mould poisoning - our housing shouldn’t make us sick.
We are all paying the price for dangerous housing. Because landlords aren’t reinvesting rental income into maintaining their properties, taxpayers are footing the NHS bill for the health problems they are causing. We can’t go through another winter like the last - our children deserve better.
Poor housing cost the NHS £340 million last year. The average cost of dealing with damp in a property is £3590 (BRE report). The total annual cost to the NHS is over £38 million, which would be paid back within 7 years were damp to be remediated. The total annual cost to society of damp is £96 million, which would be paid back within 2.8 years.
Brent Council must:
○ Agree a timeline with the London Renters Union for dealing with the 10,000 unsafe private rented homes in Brent, and recruit the staff to do it.
○ Ensure that Environmental Health cases can never be closed before sending a report on what has been done to the tenant and confirming it with them.
○ Make interpretation available for the PRS enforcement team, especially in, Arabic, Somali, Portuguese, Romanian, Urdu and Hindi.
○ Inspect ALL properties where a landlord has applied for a licence within 1 year, instead of 50% over 5 years.
○ Issue Improvement Notices that protect us from eviction while dealing with disrepair, and fine the landlords that refuse to fix up.
The renters wanted faster action on the Category 1 homes that include a danger to life and pointed out that many homes have multiple hazards at Category 2. Renters spoke out about their own illnesses and those of their children as a result of damp and mould and the sometimes unhelpful assessments that has been made. One example was a claim by officers that the condition of one property was due to 'condensation' when they had been sent video of a leak.
Responding Cllr Butt referred to government cuts in council funding and £18m savingsthe council had to make. Cllr Knight said that the council were going to increase the number of enforcement officers by double the existing number (12 instead of 4) which would enable more inspections to be made. Cllr Butt said that rather than instantly fine landlords they had to give them the chance to remedy defects.
Renters said that upping the number of fines would raise funds that the council could reinvest in enforcement, creating an income stream enabling employment of more enforcement officers. At present monies raised were not reinvested in the service. They also suggested an extension of landlord licensing across the borough and a higher licensing charge in line with other boroughs (£640 vs £750). Muhammed Butt said the 2024-25 budget was in the first stages of drafting and without promising anything he would look at the possibiltiies.
It was clear from the contributions that intimidation from landlords and threat of eviction if they complained was a real problem. If evicted, homeless families then had to deal with housing officers who had a huge workload. The council was urged, 'Put more people out there so officers are not so over-stretched that they treat people badly.'
At present the licensing system covers only three wards: Harlesden and Kensal Green, Willesden Green and Dollis Hill. Renters wanted to see the number increased but Prmise Knight said that this would have to be agreed by the Secretary of State. She urged that residents provide evidence to the council to help them make their case.
800 people have signed the Brent Renters petition and this shows the strength of feeling. One renter summed up, 'People have complained and feel like Brent Council doesn't listen to them. Perhaps, here today, maybe they are listening.'
After the meeting London Renters commented on what they had gained from the meeting:
What did we win in our negotiation?
🔰 A plan with targets on dealing with Category 1 hazards and unsafe homes for borough-wide licensing by the end of the year
🔰 A commitment to a pilot project in Harlesden and Kensal Green, Willesden Green and Dollis Hill, including increasing current targets for dealing with unsafe homes.
🔰 Council leader Butt to talk to finances side of council about increasing enforcement capacity, and whether income from fines can be included to increase budgets.
🔰 Improvement notices to be issued every time there is a Category 1 hazard!
🔰 Interpretation to be offered for main languages so that people can access the Private Housing Service and complain, and forms reworked in plain English.
🔰 An aim to ensure that cases are not closed before speaking to the tenant, by discussing with senior officers and creating a concrete plan.
From Brent Renters Union
END RENT HIKE EVICTIONS ACTION
Too many of us have been made to face the trauma and upheaval of eviction. On July 4th, LRU members are taking action to resist the government's failure to protect us from huge rent increases. Too many of us have been forced out of our homes by landlords hiking up our rent. The more members joining the action, the bigger impact we'll have!
The demonstration earlier today (Photo: London Renters Union)
From London Renters Union (Brent)
Wednesday 7 June: Brent renters from the LRU today launched the #NotAnotherWinter campaign calling on the council to tackle the epidemic of unsafe housing across the borough. The campaign began with a protest outside Sathy Property Services NW10 4SY, responsible for letting out housing in a state of serious disrepair to two LRU members. The union is calling on Brent council to invest in housing safety and to take proactive enforcement action against dangerous landlords so that no one faces another winter of damp and mould.
Brent council estimates that around 10,000 privately rented homes in the borough present a serious health hazard. While properties remain in poor conditions, this hasn’t stopped landlords raising rents. Although Brent has the second highest level of poverty of any London borough, median monthly rents are now up to £1400, 57% of incomes. Last year, Brent had the highest rate of eviction of any local authority in England and Wales.
Brent Council has a responsibility to identify and deal with dangerous housing. But current plans for a selective landlord licensing scheme do not go far enough in tackling the scale of the problem, only addressing a small proportion of the estimated 10,000 hazards.
Damp and mould is a national issue of public health. Citizens Advice reports that 2.7 million households face damp, mould, or excessively cold homes. The NHS spends an estimated £1.4 bn per year treating patients with housing-related health conditions.
LRU members are calling on Brent council to invest in housing safety by expanding its enforcement team, inspecting more properties, and by fining landlords who profit from unsafe accommodation more swiftly and more often. Members are inviting local residents to sign a petition in support of the campaign. Earlier this year, the Hackney branch of the LRU won a similar £400,000 investment in housing safety.
Farhiya, LRU Member, says:
I'm paying £1900 a month for a two-bedroom flat but my house has had leaks, damp and mould for two years now. It's so bad that it's giving my children asthma. We've had to go to the doctors many times. But when I spoke to the landlord, he just ignored us. I just want my children to feel safe in their home. It shouldn't be this difficult to get our repairs done.
Aminah*, LRU Member, says:
The damp and mould in my flat is so bad that I've developed asthma and serious lung problems. I've also tripped over in the bathroom because the floor gets completely covered with water from the leaks. Even my carer does not want to come round to the flat anymore because the damp and the leaks are so dangerous. I've complained to the agency so many times but they just refuse to deal with the problems. When the council came round to look at the problems, all I was told was to wipe off the mould.
Jacob Wills, Organiser at London Renters Union, says:
Nobody should have to pay for a home that makes them sick. But thousands of people across Brent live in housing that presents a serious risk to their health. In the wake of the death of Awaab Ishak, it’s clear that the consequences of unsafe housing can be deadly. As long as councils fail to take swift and robust enforcement action, it will be more profitable for landlords to let out dangerous accommodation than to properly maintain their properties. The council urgently needs a credible plan to deal with the 10,000 unsafe homes across Brent. We are calling on the council to invest in housing safety and agree to a concrete timeline to ensure no one faces another winter of damp and mould.
From London Renters Union
Hackney members of the London Renters Union have won a massive £400,000 investment in housing safety, following the launch of our #SideWithRenters campaign!
1.6
million children live in damp and mouldy homes. But when renters report unsafe
housing conditions to their local authorities, many go ignored.
Everyone deserves a safe home. It is
outrageous that many renters are forced to forfeit half of our incomes for housing
that makes us sick.
That's why we launched our #SideWithRenters campaign last year to pressure
councils to stand up for renter rights and tackle unsafe housing.
Members in Hackney came together and held negotiations with the council in
April last year, and again in February this year. The message from our members
was clear. Hold landlords accountable!
Earlier this week, Hackney Council announced it will invest a further £400K in
the housing standards enforcement team to crack down on mould and damp.
Stronger enforcement means that is harder for landlords to get away with
forcing us into dangerous conditions.
This win was only possible because of the way we're
building renter power in the city. But there's so much more to
fight for...
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Join the fight. |
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London Renters Union is a member-led union fighting to transform
the housing system. From resisting evictions to campaigning for lower
rents, we are fighting for a housing system
that prioritises human need over profit. |
As part of a Day of Action called by London Renters Union, Brent Renters were outside Willesden Green Station today.
On Twitter they said:
Brent renters came together. There IS power in a union! By coming together in our communities we can win. We need a rent freeze now! We went to Foxtons and made our point then to an agents who've failed to act to deal with rat infestation Tenants! Join.
Pics from @Brentrenters
The Brent Branch of the London Renters Union is taking part in the London Renters Union Day of Action on Saturday December 3rd. Assemble outside Willesden Green tube station at noon
They said:
Millions face rent increases of £5,000 plus per annum. Agents and landlords get richer and millions of tenants get poorer.
JOIN US! All welcome!
Following Saturday's very successful and often moving Community Assembly organised by English for Action, Brent members of the London Renters Union are meeting with Cllr Butt and Cllr Southwood this afternoon to discuss their key demands. Wembley Matters has documented a number of cases locally and here as background are some cases from the LRU:
A recently joined LRU member, a single parent with 6 children, 2 with disabilities, and with English as a second language, had been placed 2 years ago by the council directly into a flat with a rat infestation, thus discharging the duty. When the boiler broke down she tried to complain to the council, but was only told that she could make another homeless application, and not passed on to the enforcement team.
A property guardian facing a 75% rent increase from DotDotDot (partially as his partner moved in, and also a large rent increase on top of that). DotDotDot are a property guardianship company with a contract from Brent council to fill flats in the South kilburn estate - Labour has committe to lobbying to bring the rents down, so why are they letting DDD get away with this? The renters a proposal to run the flats as a short-life housing coop if DotDotDot say it isn't financially viable for them... - https://twitter.com/ldnrentersunion/status/1504518653290725381?s=21
This issue is really draining me mentally, I can’t focus at work, I can’t sleep well nowadays, I can’t eat well and it’s affecting my health. I am scared of being homeless.
These are LRU's demands as determined by members real life experiences:
1. Hold Landlords Accountable. Don't give licences to landlords until they prove the accommodation is the right standard. Use your powers to make the landlords fix our problems - and to make them pay when they don’t. Employ more workers to do this with the money from landlords.
2. Work with renters. Meet with Brent LRU regularly, and come to a public meeting after the election to show that you are keeping your promises. Tell local people that they can join London Renters Union for solidarity.
3. The right to stay in our communities. Don't force people to move out of Brent when they come to the council for housing help. Never say that people are "intentionally homeless". Brent’s temporary accommodation is not good enough - tell us your plans to change this.
4. Reduce Rents. Tell the government to Control Rents to stop landlords increasing the rent when they want.
5. Support and solidarity. Give us the right to have appointments to see a real person. This is very important for some disabled people, and if English or reading is difficult. No long, difficult online forms.
6. Homes for us. Build housing for the
working-class. Don't allow new buildings to be only for the rich. Learn how to
negotiate with the big companies so we don't always lose and they always
profit.
You can support these deamnds by taking E-Action to write to your local councillors HERE
1.Hold Landlords Accountable
LRU sees licensing as a key tool against the exploitation of renters, and wants to see a strong consultation for borough-wide licensing. However, an effective enforcement strategy is necessary for licensing to be worth it for renters as well as councils, and also for the majority of properties which are unlicensed.
· Expand licensing borough-wide, and expand the enforcement team in order to meet the needs of renters.
· Ensure that all homes meet the minimum energy efficiency standards, fine landlords that are illegally renting F and G rated properties, and create a local economic recovery scheme using GLA funds and local businesses and apprenticeships to get PRS properties up to B rating as per the Climate and Ecological Strategy.
· Use the new capacity to ensure that landlords meet the terms of the licence before the licence is issued, and through regular inspections until it expires.
· Use the rent repayment order scheme against landlords who continue to flout the licensing laws.
2.Work With Renters
The council should meet regularly with Brent LRU, and let renters know about the union.
· Create a liaison point who will promptly respond to any issues involving LRU members
· The Cabinet Lead for Housing and the Leader should attend a public meeting of renters within the first 6 months of the administration to update on progress on the housing commitments.
3.The Right to stay in our communities
Everyone has the right to stay in their community and with their families and support networks.
· Brent Council should end the practice of forcing working class people to choose between leaving London or being declared ‘intentionally homeless’ and become at risk of street homelessness - support people to stay in Brent.
· Brent Council is building temporary accommodation in order to reduce the reliance on private landlords, which we applaud. However, many renters will not be able to access this block - the council should set out minimum safety and quality standards for ‘temporary’ accommodation and take enforcement action against landlords that refuse to meet them.
· Councils should ensure they are giving appropriate weight to invisible disabilities such as chronic mental health issues when making housing offers.
4. Bring the rents down
Our demand
· Council leaders should add their voice to the housing movement’s call for rent controls so that no one is forced to pay more than a third of their income on rent.
·
Brent Council
should pass a motion calling on the Government to introduce affordable and effective
rent controls, and should put pressure on the opposition to back them. Brent
Council should collect and publish data on rent levels.
5. More accessible housing and support
Disabled people, those with English as a second language and with other support needs should be able to get the advice and support they need to exercise their housing rights in a way that works for them. Councils should ensure that both housing itself and advice and support services are as accessible as possible to tenants. Councils should:
· Ensure that council advice and support is clear, rights-based and easy to access by the individual themselves without needing to rely on another person. Support should be able to be accessed through multiple channels (such as email, telephone, face-to-face), and long and complex online forms should be eliminated.
· Set out a multi-pronged strategy for informing tenants about their rights, recourse when they are not met, and entitlements to grants such as Disabled Facilities Grant.
· Set out a clear expectation for landlords and letting agents within the borough to ensure that there are multiple channels of communication through which tenants can approach them.
6. Development
Social housing must be prioritised in all developments. To ensure just and responsible development in Brent, the council must:
· Prioritise housing the huge numbers of people on the waiting list in new developments.
· Build more, larger 4 and 5 bed houses (both council and private developer) to deal with chronic overcrowding in the borough. The waiting list for a three- or four-bedroom council house in Brent is 17 years.
· Brent Council didn’t respond to journalists about whether it has a strategy for keeping developers to their s106 agreements - how is this happening currently?
