The London Renters Union has called on all its members and supporters from across the capital to join a protest outside Croydon Town Hall this evening to show solidarity for the long-ignored council tenants at Regina Road.
The ignored council tenants of Regina Road will be protesting outside Croydon Town Hall tonight
The flooded, mouldy conditions in some of the South Norwood council flats caused a national scandal when exposed by ITV News in March.
The tenants have formed a residents’ support group, and they are protesting outside the Town Hall tonight ahead of the council cabinet meeting – the first in-person meeting held in the Chamber since the first coronavirus lockdown was put in place in March 2020. The London Renters’ Union wants as big a turn-out as possible.
The London Renters Union is a coalition of housing and social justice groups including Radical Housing Network, Take Back The City, Generation Rent, Digs (Hackney Renters), Rent Strike and People’s Empowerment Alliance for Custom House (PEACH). They receive advice from the New Economics Foundation, Advice4Renters, and the Migrants Rights Network.
At the weekend, they issued a rallying call to their members.
“The residents of the Regina Road flats in South Norwood are taking action this Monday 6pm outside the Council meeting, at Croydon Town Hall,” the Union said.
Tenants’ rights: the London Renters Union at one of their previous demos
“Dozens of councils flats in three tower blocks have been suffering from horrific levels of damp and mould, and dangerous electrics caused by leaks, and have had no meaningful engagement from Croydon Council or its leader.
“An ITV report six weeks ago uncovered ‘the worst housing conditions ever seen’, yet the council still hasn’t met with the residents. They have now formed an action group to hold the council to account, and pressure for a meeting.
“An independent report found that the council has been incompetent and negligent, due to a culture of carelessness within their housing department. Residents will be attending and protesting the council meeting on Monday, where the report is the first item on the agenda, to let the council know they will not be ignored and are not going away.
“The residents and their supporters will be gathering from 6pm at Croydon Town Hall on Katharine Street. We know that housing is a public health issue, we know everyone deserves a safe home, and most importantly, we know we can win by standing together.
“Any LRU members or supporters in the area, please show your support and solidarity with the residents of Regina Road, and join the fight for their right to decent living conditions.”
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