Housing secretary Gove blasts Lambeth council over tenants’ ‘disgraceful conditions’
By Robert Firth, Local Democracy Reporter
The Government has named and shamed a council for leaving tenants to suffer in “disgraceful conditions” across the borough.
Housing Secretary Michael Gove criticised Lambeth council for “refusing to listen to complaints” or treat residents with “respect” in a letter to solicitors and voluntary groups.
Mr Gove demanded answers and action from the authority, which was last year blasted by the housing watchdog the Housing Ombudsman for handling complaints poorly.
Lambeth was ordered to pay a mum £950 by the ombudsman after it left her family living in a house with boarded up windows for three years.
Mr Gove said: “These landlords have failed their tenants, letting people suffer in disgraceful conditions while refusing to listen to complaints or treat them with respect.
“Housing providers will have nowhere to hide once our Social Housing Bill becomes law early next year. A beefed-up Regulator will have the power to enter properties with only 48 hours’ notice and make emergency repairs with landlords footing the bill.”
In the letter addressed to the Law Society, Citizens Advice and Housing Law Practitioners Association dated December 28, Mr Gove urged them to direct social housing tenants with complaints to the Housing Ombudsman as priority to save residents time and money.
He added: “Every tenant deserves a decent home, and landlords must not use legal cases as an excuse to delay making repairs or act on complaints.”
Lambeth council said it had taken “positive action” in the 10 months since the critical Housing Ombudsman report and called on Mr Gove to give it the “powers and funding needed to improve conditions.”
Cllr Timothy Windle, the council’s cabinet member for housing and homelessness, said: “We have apologised to residents let down by poor repairs and handling of complaints and are taking action to improve services for all residents who live in Lambeth properties.
“Lambeth has one of the largest housing stocks in the country and therefore has particularly suffered the impact of 12 years of cuts in funding by the Conservative governments that Michael Gove has been a key part of.”
(Picture: UK Parliament)
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