Sadiq Khan must deliver what he's promised and urgently rehouse tenants of failed 'London Living Rent' scheme
9 October 2024, 18:24 | Updated: 9 October 2024, 18:39
Residents of Sadiq Khan's first-ever "London Living Rent" have hit out at the Mayor after he claimed, "we can't allow this one disappointing experience to overshadow the positive experiences tens of thousands of Londoners have had.”
Listen to this article
Loading audio...
The residents of County House, myself included, are deeply frustrated and disheartened by Sadiq’s remarks. To date, not a single resident has been contacted to ensure they are rehoused at a comparable rent, nor has there been any support to help fulfil their aspirations of homeownership.
Unfortunately, this is a pattern we see far too often—public figures in positions of power make bold promises in the spotlight, yet fail to deliver when it matters most.
As a result, many of your listeners and readers may now assume that we are all in the process of being rehoused at similar rent levels, as Sadiq suggested. This is simply not the case, and it is important to correct this misleading narrative.
I am calling on Sadiq to take immediate action to ensure that all residents of County House who have been served Section 21 notices are contacted and promptly rehoused under the London Living Rent (LLR) scheme.
For those of us who have already had to secure alternative accommodation, there must be compensation for the additional rent we’ve been forced to pay, until we are in a position to activate our six-month break clause—often requiring an additional two months’ notice—and also to cover the additional removal costs when moving to the new LLR property.
Moreover, several families with young children are also facing discrimination, as some landlords are refusing to rent to them, which only adds to an already difficult situation.
These parents should not be subjected to such anxiety simply because Hyde is focused on removing County House from their portfolio as quickly as possible, due to its significant impact on their cash flow.
Hyde also claimed to have offered customers one-on-one advice sessions and directed them to agencies that could provide further advice and support. However, tenants who reached out to Hyde’s support team were left feeling extremely frustrated.
Sadiq Khan faces questions over flagship housing scheme as tenants face mass eviction
The representative they spoke with merely directed them to the HM Government's How to Rent guide, which was included with the Section 21 notice, and advised them to visit a website (GOV.UK/government/publications/how-to-rent).
They were also told that, if further advice was needed, they should contact their nearest Citizens Advice, law centre, or a firm of solicitors.
Unfortunately, the support team provided no real assistance, and these same frustrations were echoed by many other residents who had also contacted them.
The residents of County House remained disgruntled.
LBC Views provides a platform for diverse opinions on current affairs and matters of public interest.
The views expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official LBC position.
To contact us email views@lbc.co.uk
