We are a group of tenants in the 170 flats administered by Tower Quay around Somerford Grove in Hackney, East London. After many of us lost income during the pandemic we wrote a letter to Tower Quay and our landlord on 30 March 2020. We asked them to work with us alongside the London Renters Union to help keep tenants safe and secure during the worldwide crisis. 109 of us signed this letter.
Their response was so incredibly out of touch that the Guardian, Hackney Gazette, Daily Mail, Metro, Independent and Vice wrote articles about us. This has ignited national outrage - the government asking landlords to show "compassion" is not enough: action is needed to secure our rights to safe and healthy homes.
Since the media attention, there have been attempts to intimidate and divide us, and Tower Quay have refused all our requests and refused to meet. Whether you have lost income or not, we are all rightly worried about the long-lasting economic impact of this disease, and we need to stand up for one another — especially those who already cannot afford their rent. Please join us if you live here and want to support your neighbours through COVID-19:
If the button doesn't work email residents@shacklewell.uk
Our demands
We are asking for three things: No Evictions, Fair Rent, No Retaliation.
1. No Evictions
a. Tenants should not lose their home - no evictions during 2020
2. Fair Rent
a. 20% reduction in rent payments through 2020
b. Individual tenants should not be forced to pay more than their equal share of the household rent
c. No one should be forced into debt in order to pay rent - Somerford Grove Renters will facilitate discussions with the landlord for a fair agreement for those who can’t afford to pay
3. No Retaliation
a. Guaranteed contract renewals with no rent increase until the end of 2021
b. No late payment fees should be charged in 2020
Principles behind the requests
The COVID-19 pandemic is the greatest challenge that the UK has faced since the Second World War. Aside from the almost unimaginable impact on the health and wellbeing of communities across the country, the economic impact will be significant and long-lasting. Those of us in work have seen significant reductions in income, others of us have lost jobs, or watched as freelance work has dried up. We all worry about the future, and what the next year holds for us. It’s time to stand up for renters.
Our landlord John Christodoulou has reached 82nd place on the Sunday Times Rich List, with a net worth of £1.8 billion. He makes approximately £3.5 million from our buildings each year, which were purchased at a time when property costs in Hackney were much lower. Our annual rent increases contribute to the increasing rents in Hackney generally, making the neighbourhood unaffordable for low-income people and pushing out the BAME community. Achieving a rent decrease will not only help our tenants but would represent a major step towards fair housing for all.
20% reduction in rent payments - 80% of the flats we surveyed said they had lost income and people who haven't are worried about losing income in the future. This is a fair and reasonable way of giving tenants security. Many small landlords in our area are giving rent holidays and discounts to tenants. A 20% discount on rent for the 170 flats in Dalston would cost John Christodoulou less than 0.04% of his wealth each year. Those who do not feel they need the discount could contribute it towards a solidarity fund for the community.No one should lose their home - no one should be evicted for not paying rent during the pandemic - for tenants own safety and for public health - we cannot worsen the crisis of homelessness in the middle of a pandemic.
No one should go into debt to pay rent - Shelter uses the widely accepted affordability rule that says rent should not exceed 30% of net income. Given the long term economic impact of this pandemic - the IMF says this will be the worst economic downturn since the great depression - it is not viable for tenants to take on debt that they will not be able to repay. We propose that tenants who can’t afford rent after the 20% discount will present their financial circumstances to the landlord and reach an agreement on a sustainable rent payment of no more than 30% of net income.
Guaranteed contract renewals with no rent increase until the end of 2021 - people need security and safety during this unprecedented pandemic and the landlord has a responsibility towards the community.
Like the Mayor of London we want a bar on landlords evicting tenants after the crisis for rent arrears they have accrued during it, and an and to so-called “no-fault” evictions.
FAQ
- This started as a neighbours on a whatsapp group helping each other out and trying to get neglected repairs addressed (stolen post, broken entrance door, etc). After COVID-19 hit, most of us lost income and our need for security and support grew tremendously.
- We wrote a letter which 109 tenants signed asking for 20% off rent and a freeze on evictions throughout the crisis. Tower Quay told us we could use the money we saved on 'lunches and cancelled holidays' to pay full rent.
- We've received messages of support from Diane Abbott MP, Mayor of Hackney Phillip Glanville, our local councillor Michelle Gregory
- Our story featured in the Guardian, the Hackney Gazette, the Independent, and elsewhere, and Mayor of London Sadiq Khan tweeted his support
- Tower Quay has claimed they will work with us on a case-by-case basis, yet tenants who have submitted financial evidence of having lost all their income are told they will not receive any discount at all
- They have also tried to divide us by offering some tenants a 20% 'rent credit' (to be paid back in two months) on the condition that this is kept secret. They are no longer offering this.
- Tenants have had flatmates move out due to the crisis and TQ has said they must find a new flatmate or pay for the entire house's rent. TQ is tacitly forcing us to conduct viewings under lockdown, a threat to our health.
- Even if you are OK at the moment, none of us know what will happen to us or our flatmates in the months to come. We must stick together to support each other especially the ones who are already struggling.
Why 20% for all, if some can afford rent?
- Over 80% of flats surveyed have lost income
- Even if your work is secure now, we are all worried about the future and need some savings
- The IMF is reporting the greatest economic downturn since the great depression
- Many small landlords are giving rent relief to their tenants because they understand their responsibility to the community - why can't billionaire landlords do the same?
- We are having to pay for and carry out maintenance ourselves, often maintenance that was neglected before the crisis
- The FT reports landlords received only 50% of rent in April - we are offering something that will keep them afloat while protecting ourselves
- For those who still can’t afford rent, we are fighting for a greater discount - have a look at our requests
- Spending more time in our flats means higher energy bills
What's the end game here?
Support
We have joined with the London Renters Union. Together we can stand up to landlords and win lower rents and longer tenancies for ourselves, our families and our friends. You can join for as little as £4/month or nothing if you are unwaged at londonrentersunion.org/join
We've very grateful that our local MP and counsellors have written to Tower Quay, helped us, and continue to monitor the case.
The letter to Tower Quay
You can read the exchange we have had with Tower Quay.
Contact us
Please email residents@shacklewell.uk for any questions or if you'd like to be added to the residents-only WhatsApp group then send us your name and details.