Squatters dwelling in tents demand UK council lets them transfer again to outdated care dwelling

Squatters compelled to sleep in tents and hammcks after being booted out of an deserted care dwelling are demanding a UK council allow them to transfer again in.

The South London residents are presently sleeping outdoors after Lewisham Council referred to as on officers to evict them.

They have been ordered to go away the previous residential care constructing by officers final Friday, or danger being arrested by the Metropolitan Police.

Squatters say the London rental market has turn out to be too costly, and took up residency within the empty constructing on Slaithwaite Road – generally known as ‘House on the Hill’ – to keep away from dwelling on the streets.

But now the council has revealed plans to show the property into reasonably priced dwelling and a piece house with the assistance of London businessman, Simon Higgs – who runs the V22 Foundation, a not-for-profit arts group that gives reasonably priced work house within the metropolis.

The council confirmed it labored “in partnership with the police” to take again the property from the squatters.

But the constructing’s former residents are calling on the council to allow them to return and say they are going to proceed tenting outdoors the property till they’re allowed to take action.

Speaking from a makeshift camp erected outdoors the centre on Wednesday (September 6), one of many squatters, Biribá, 25, stated: “On Friday (September 1), the police knocked on the door and my friend tried to speak to them through the letterbox. They said ‘you have to leave and take all your stuff’.

“There was a bit of a scuffle outside and we didn’t know what we were going to do. On the first night we didn’t manage to get all our stuff and within 12 hours some of our stuff was damaged and stolen. We’ve been here since.”

Biribá said that some of the people squatting in the building had an unclear immigration status, meaning they could be kicked out of the country by the Home Office. As a result, some of the ex-residents have now fled to insecure housing elsewhere in the capital.

He added: “Nobody is in steady housing. People are unfold throughout the town and we have now between six and 7 individuals sleeping right here between the tents, the beds and the hammocks.”

In 2021 Lewisham became the UK’s first borough of sanctuary, meaning it pledged to welcome and protect the rights of all migrants.

Part of the delivery of the strategy included a commitment to provide the same level of service to refugees and migrants as any other resident. The squatters feel the eviction isn’t in the spirit of the Labour council’s borough of sanctuary pledge.

As well as being allowed to return to the property, the squatters are demanding the council provide them with storage for their belongings and put a stop to evictions across the borough.

They also want the council to open up empty council-owned buildings to the homeless in the borough, as well as people living in Home Office accommodation.

The median monthly rent for a room in Lewisham was £750 per month as of March, according to the Office for National Statistics. In 2019, the median rent for a room in the borough was just £575.

Research from housing charity Shelter published in January revealed there were 7,300 homeless people in Lewisham. This figure includes people in temporary accommodation or sleeping on the streets.

A Lewisham Council spokesperson said: “House on the Hill is a previous residential care facility in Lewisham, which we are intending to convert into affordable living/work space for the local community.

“We are working on this project with our partners V22, who currently run three community libraries in the borough. The building was recently occupied illegally by squatters who gained entry in the brief period when the property was unoccupied.

“This is a Lewisham Council owned public property and we have now needed to act swiftly, in partnership with the police and inside clear laws, to guard the council’s property.”

The Metropolitan Police was contacted however directed enquires again to Lewisham Council