England: Residents wins 60% rent reduction after council ends ‘difficult relationship’ with Mears

Hundreds of families in temporary accommodation in east London have had their rent reduced by around 60% after a four-year campaign against their corporate social landlord Mears.

England: Residents wins 60% rent reduction after council ends 'difficult relationship' with Mears

Last week, the London Borough of Newham announced that “following a series of management issues” 250 homes in the borough, which were leased out by the local authority to Mears, would be transferred back into council management, effectively ending Mears’ role as a landlord to the tenants.

Every current Mears tenant will now have a homeless assessment and, where the council can establish it has a duty to house, tenants will be offered temporary accommodation by the council. Where it is possible, the council will work with tenants to keep them in their current homes.

Where residents cannot stay in their present home, they will be offered alternative temporary accommodation. If any resident is not eligible for temporary accommodation, the council will offer them support to find a suitable private rented sector home.

The council will carry out the handback of properties in batches, and intend to prioritise cases where the property condition is poor. The council will be beginning this process next month and will be communicating directly with affected residents with details of the next steps.

Mayor Rokhsana Fiaz said: “This marks a real victory for the residents who have had historical issues with the management of the property by Mears, which I have been committed to address from the time I was a councillor in Custom House. Since becoming the Mayor of Newham in May 2018, officers have worked tremendously hard with residents to address these issues, by challenging Mears to meet their responsibilities and now we’ve come up with an acceptable solution which causes minimum disruption for tenants.

“It has been an extremely complicated deal to secure, and I am grateful to the residents who have shown such patience as we worked towards this outcome, which I believe meets our agenda of acceptable housing management provision that meets our standards.”

“The project to end the council’s difficult relationship with Mears is a significant one for residents. I made a manifesto pledge to deliver homes that are fit for human habitation and bringing these properties back under Council management will help us to make good on that promise.”

Over the past four years, the residents have fought under the banner of People’s Empowerment Alliance for Custom House (Peach) for social rent and for repairs completed in a timely manner, arranging protests and hosting street parties while negotiating for the changes with the council.

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