Croydon council tenants plan protest over rent increase and ‘mouldy damp’ housing
By Tara O’Connor, Local Democracy Reporter
A year on from the Regina Road housing scandal, Croydon council tenants are poised to protest against a planned rent increase – and claim they are still struggling with leaks and damp.
The 4.1 per cent increase would hit residents in April, a year after appalling living conditions were exposed at council-owned tower blocks in South Norwood.
Some residents had been living with persistent leaks and thick black mould coating the walls.
A year on, one resident claimed problems in a Regina Road block still persisted.
Marisa Henry, 32, who lives with her eight-year-old son, says she has had a leak in her bathroom for six months.
She said: “They come and do botch jobs and want to shut us up. I even heard somebody had rats in their flat two weeks ago.”
She claims her bathroom has been unheated all winter and is spending £40 a week using an electric heater to keep them warm.
Ms Henry added: “Because of the heating my son’s life isn’t as good as it would be. He’s always got colds.
“I am sick of ringing them. I live in here with an eight-year-old and he shouldn’t be in the same bedroom as me. Everyone needs to be moved out.”
An independent investigation into problems at the block was published in May 2021.
It found Croydon council’s failure to act on a leak for four years put the health and safety of council tenants at risk.
A protest outside Croydon Town Hall organised by the South Norwood Community Kitchen is planned for Monday, March 21.
Emma Gardiner from the organisation said: “The one issue people keep raising with us is housing, whether that is mouldy damp council houses that the council aren’t fixing, overcrowding or people being priced out of South Norwood.
“We feel there are a lot of people in Croydon who are really angry at the current situation of housing and want a way to speak up and have a voice.”
Ms Gardiner said she has heard from Regina Road residents who are still waiting for repairs.
She said: “We acknowledge a lot of people have been moved quite quickly but there are still people who haven’t. Yes, some things have been done but not enough to ask people to pay 4.1 per cent more on their council rents.
“There is a cost of living crisis and residents in Regina Road already pay an arm and a leg for their heating.”
A council spokesperson said: “Since March 2020, we’ve been working with residents to improve their experiences of our housing services across the board. At Regina Road, tenancy officers have knocked on every door and met over 200 residents face-to-face.
“We’ve rehoused 18 families in urgent need, carried out hundreds of repairs and undertaken detailed structural surveys to help plan future upgrades.
“There is a dedicated housing officer and repairs inspector for Regina Road, to provide residents with help and support, and our housing improvement board includes a Regina Road representative.
“We know that there are still some properties with outstanding repairs, and we are working with our contractor to get these done as quickly as possible. Any resident with concerns can contact repairsservicesteam@croydon.gov.uk”
Pictured top: Residents of Regina Road, South Norwood at a protest on July 2021
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