Gransnet forums

AIBU

Rehousing issue for Grenfell Towers survivors

(597 Posts)
Christinefrance Wed 05-Jul-17 13:00:13

I don't understand why many of the families are refusing the temporary housing they are being offered. One family was on TV saying how unhappy they were in their hotel but had turned down the offer of a flat. Of course they are still shocked and coming to terms with things but I would have thought it would be easier to move on in a place of your own rather than a hotel.

Primrose65 Mon 17-Jul-17 18:58:27

They are not private rentals in London, that's for sure

durhamjen Mon 17-Jul-17 22:46:13

Social rent, travels.

durhamjen Mon 17-Jul-17 22:52:05

That makes it okay, does it, Primrose, that she works full time and still has to claim benefits?
It doesn't to me.

Primrose65 Tue 18-Jul-17 10:09:01

So what would be OK durhamjen? How should it work for our London cleaner example?

Welshwife Tue 18-Jul-17 10:27:12

It is countrywide with people working full time and needing housing benefit and working tax credits etc - that is what is the disgrace - wages are way out of step at the bottom of the scale to the cost of housing and general living etc.
The minimum wage is just insufficient to enable people to live properly especially if they have a young family. The cost of childcare is prohibitive for many families if there is more than one child and the mother wants to work - lots of times it is just not financially viable.

Primrose65 Tue 18-Jul-17 11:29:31

Some businesses would not be viable if they paid more than minimum wage and others, like supermarkets, would have to put their prices up. Unemployment is worse, in my opinion.

How should it work?

What is not 'a disgrace'

Welshwife Tue 18-Jul-17 12:13:05

It is digracefjl the way that these disparities between wages and housing costs have been allowed to develop. At one end we have people making a nice bit of money on the rising cost of housing and at the other people who have seen the quality of life decreasing as little left when they have paid their rent.

There is no easy answer to any of this as naturally people who have put money into property to rent do want a profit.

I understand about small businesses not being able to pay more and eventually it would cause consumer prices to rise.

durhamjen Thu 20-Jul-17 20:09:53

This is disgraceful.

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/jul/20/grenfell-council-made-more-on-two-house-sales-than-it-spent-on-cladding

Jalima1108 Thu 20-Jul-17 20:20:34

Welshwife as I said before, people were encouraged to put their savings into property instead of a pension fund and obviously they do want a return on that. However, there are many property owners who do charge extortionate rents - but that would seem to be the norm for the London area and unfortunately it has had a knock-on effect spreading outwards.

It may have been mentioned before, cannot read all through again, that K&C council were offered money by developers instead of the developers including affordable/social housing - quite substantial sums which they do not appear to have used to provide homes for people in the area. Of course, there could be a problem with availability of land in such a densely populated area but at least they could have made sure the property they did control was fit for people to live in.

Primrose65 Fri 21-Jul-17 23:54:18

This is really good news. I think it's sensible to work with local community groups and they're being totally open about what they're doing with the money donated

www.standard.co.uk/news/london/grenfell-tower-survivors-to-receive-16m-directly-after-evening-standard-fund-hits-over-6m-a3592231.html

durhamjen Thu 27-Jul-17 19:05:59

Could be corporate manslaughter - enough evidence to charge.

durhamjen Thu 27-Jul-17 19:06:57

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/jul/27/met-says-grenfell-council-may-have-committed-corporate-manslaughter

durhamjen Mon 31-Jul-17 11:06:46

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/jul/30/grenfell-residents-condemn-basing-of-new-taskforce-in-council-office

You'd think they would have learnt by now.

Leonora47 Mon 31-Jul-17 12:41:39

Does anybody have any idea how many people were on the housing waiting lists in Kensington before the Grenfell fire?
Those folk must be so disheartened to see
the properties they have been waiting for being offered to the surviving families.
How, I wonder, were so many flats found, at such short notice, when many families wait for years to reach the top of the waiting lists.

Possibly, the flats rejected by the survivors
should be offered to those who have been
waiting patiently for those flats which l they were repeatedly told were, 'unavailable'

durhamjen Mon 31-Jul-17 12:54:05

I think people on the housing list will be quite understanding. At least they were not in Grenfell Tower.

Primrose65 Mon 31-Jul-17 14:50:26

I think that's a really good point and idea Leonora. It would be really sad if all the efforts for the survivors mean that people on the waiting list are effectively forgotten. I doubt very much that a homeless family would be understanding durhamjen and nor should they be. They still deserve their housing!

mostlyharmless Mon 31-Jul-17 16:25:48

Some of these last few posts seem like a sick joke. Surely they can't be serious?

durhamjen Mon 31-Jul-17 16:29:01

So how many flats have been found at such short notice for the Grenfell survivors, Leonora?
I am sure you know and can tell us.

Primrose65 Mon 31-Jul-17 16:29:56

mostlyharmless what do you mean by that?

mostlyharmless Mon 31-Jul-17 16:43:31

The Grenfell survivors have gone through great trauma, have a variety of health issues from the smoke, have seen family members or friends and neighbours die. Several survivors have committed suicide in the last few weeks. Of course they should have priority for housing. Whole families are living in hotel rooms. I can't believe anyone could be so heartless. Of course all homeless families deserve a home but priority must go to the Grenfell survivors.
Perhaps primrose is a spoof poster?

Primrose65 Mon 31-Jul-17 16:57:59

Sorry, but no one said they should not have priority. I think you have misunderstood. But throw insults at people so quickly based on your assumptions? Becuase I said people on the housing list should not be forgotten?
I don't need a lecture on Grenfell thanks. I see it every day.

durhamjen Mon 31-Jul-17 17:03:14

You need to reread Leonora's post about those on the waiting list feeling disheartened at the Grenfell survivors being given preferential treatment.
That's certainly how it came across to me.
As did your comment of people on the waiting list NOT being understanding.

rosesarered Mon 31-Jul-17 17:16:47

Oh stop it. They are valid points.Hopefully people waiting to be housed will be understanding, but human nature and all that, especially if you are desperate to be housed.
I think a good deal of the flats are newly built and have been bought by the council.
Have several survivors committed suicide....is this true?

durhamjen Mon 31-Jul-17 17:22:37

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/grenfell-tower-fire-empty-homes-families-survivors-homeless-kensington-chelsea-council-borough-a7857596.html

Still lots of empty houses. What is the council doing?

mostlyharmless Mon 31-Jul-17 17:23:38

I'm sure people on the council waiting list would be understanding (even if a bit disappointed that they were no longer top priority). If you know all about the plight of the survivors then surely you must be sympathetic primrose ?

Most of the homes offered to Grenfell tenants have been temporary as far as I understand it.

Not sure what's happening with the lovely Kensington Row flats near Olympia that were supposed to be earmarked for Grenfell Tower ready for the end of July, but that seems to have gone quiet now.