Scandal of the £3.5m squats

Scandal of the £3.5m squats

Feb 21 2003
By Vicky Wilks

South London Press

SQUATTERS have taken over seven huge houses valued at HALF-A-MILLION POUNDS each.

The three-storey, five-bedroom homes in Southwark - where nearly 13,000 people are waiting for a new home - were due to be refurbished to house large families.

But for the last 10 months the pricey Kennington properties have lain empty.

News the squatters have made themselves at home in £3.5MILLION worth of council houses is sure to incense hard-working south Londoners, fighting to get a foot on the property ladder.

Neighbour Alex Madina blasted: "They are living free, using water, gas and electricity and blocking a family using this home."

The group has reconnected gas, electricity and water supplies and appears to be moving between the houses on Brook Drive.

Threatening posters - citing housing laws - have been pasted on the buildings warning outsiders not to interfere.

Another neighbour, Mary Roberts, said: "Why does the council leave these houses empty for so long?

"No gas, electricity or water goes into these places, but they have got supplies now - they are so organised."

The houses were boarded up last April by owner Southwark council after it evicted an earlier group of squatters.

Council contractors, who secured the homes, told residents they were to be refurbished for large families.

Now three local Liberal Democrat councillors - Danny McCarthy, Catriona Moore and Mark Pursey - are to jointly call for an investigation.

Cllr McCarthy said: "We want to know why the properties were not secured. Why did we not look at short-term leases as a way forward and why was funding not available to carry out the refurbishment?

"Why did we not keep tenants informed of what was going on?"

Southwark council's executive member for housing, Beverley Bassom, told the South London Press there are plans to refurbish the houses next month.

She said the properties were handed back to Southwark by a housing association. Rather than sell them, the council applied for cash to refurbish them.

Cllr Bassom added: "It has taken some time to secure this funding which is why there has been a delay but we are pleased this refurbishment work will now start in March. We know it can be really frustrating to see properties lying empty when there is such a demand for housing in the borough.

"Equally, the nuisance caused by illegal squatters can be very disruptive in a neighbourhood. We have already begun the legal process to evict these squatters."

In 1999, squatter Timothy Ellis won the right to keep a Brixton house worth £200,000 after living there for 12 years.

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