The London Housing Strategy: the Mayor’s Draft for consultation
Response from Hornsey Pensioners Action Group
About Hornsey Pensioners Action Group
The Hornsey Pensioners Action Group (HPAG) is located in West Haringey.
HPAG is affiliated to theGreater London Region National Pensioners Convention (LR NPC) and we support the response made by GLR NPC to the Mayor’s Housing Strategy.
We have a small membership, are self-funded and regularly get an attendance of 30 plus at our monthly meetings. Ages of our members range from those recently retired to 90 plus. Members have a variety of residential status; some rent privately or in social accommodation, some own their home and others live in sheltered housing.
A recent meeting on October 18th 2017 was on the Haringey Development Vehicle and the housing development at St Ann’s hospital. Both are of great concern to many local residents.
HPAG welcomes the Mayor’s London Housing Strategy and we agree with much of the aspirations contained in the document. However the strategy lacks any criticism of central government policy that is failing to protect ordinary citizens from the unbridled effects of market and speculators. Local older people are suffering from high house prices and unaffordable rents that are driving many of us on limited incomes out of London. Those driven out include much needed public sector workers and younger relatives.
The latest NPC Pensioners Manifesto can be downloaded under Campaigns at It was presented to parliament on October 18th.. One of the demands was:
‘More homes that are both affordable and suitable for everyone, whilst recognising the specific barriers to downsizing that older people face.’
What we want to see in the London Housing Strategy
The Mayor has limited powers as central government has control over legislation. Changes to government policy would help the low paidand thosewho are on fixed incomes like pensioners find affordable homes in London.
The strategy should includeindications that the Mayor understands how central government legislation has made it difficult for Londoners to have decent housing at affordable purchase prices or rent. [ref 5]
We should expect the Mayor to campaign with us to change government policy.
We are old enough to be aware that since the Fair Rent Act was repealed in 1980 problems have arisen for those renting, and house prices have gone sky high.
The most recent Housing and Planning Act (2016) has made the situation much worse, reducing home security and allowing landlords and property speculators to profit at the expense of London residents.
Problems that group members experience locally.
Planned developments in Haringey
Our recent meeting on October 18th 2017 was entitled ‘What future for social housing: the situation in Haringey’. This is reported in the November 15th newsletterthat can be downloaded at
Haringey Council plans to work jointly with Lendlease, a multi-national corporation based in Australia. The contract called Haringey Development Vehicle, will allow the company half ownership of land and property currently owned by Haringey Council in exchange for substantial investment in regeneration. Much of this will involve the demolition of social housing estates in Tottenham. We have a personal story from one older person whose home will be lost if the scheme goes ahead. [Appendix 1]
Some of the development will be in Wood Green, the Wood Green Regeneration Scheme. This includes appropriation and demolition of homes, demolition of Wood Green Library and the nearby shopping centre. Connecting roads will be re-designed to focus on Alexandra Palace.
Many of us are really upset by the proposed regeneration. Some residents would lose their homes; the local community will be totally disrupted and probably destroyed. The misery of the extensive destruction and building work will affect us all.
Engagement with residents on the Wood Green regeneration the Local communities was vague, so that many people did not understand what would happen if the plans were agreed.The HPAG took part in meetings and produced a response given in Appendix 2.
Local authority underfunding
Haringey is very deprived but it is considered to be an outer London Borough and receives less funding for public services than adjacent boroughs Camden and Islington.
Recent severe funding cuts have reduced the council’s ability to meet its obligations to residents. The condition of publicly owned services, such as social care, libraries and housing has deteriorated.
Central government has restricted borrowing to meet such expenses and new build. At the same time, unlike private landlords, the council is obliged to respect ‘Right to buy’ that has further reduced its stock of public social housing. Waiting lists grow while local rents and property prices become out of reach even for those on professional salaries.
Being a deprived area council tax cannot make up for reductions in central government funding.
Having insufficient funds, Haringey also has trouble maintaining ‘Decent homes standards’ in council owned property. Karen Buck MP is bringing to parliament a private members Bill, ‘Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation)’ on‘January 19th 2018. If this bill becomes law, funds should be available to help make sure all homes are of a decent standard.
The combination of these factors has driven Haringey Council to negotiate the Haringey Development Vehicle (HDV), but local people including the two local MPs want it to be reconsidered. There is currently a Judicial Review to pause the HDV and we await the decision of the judge.
Haringey Council has opted for out-sourcing to deliver services, including an arms-length housing management. Many residents believe that in-house delivery of such services would be more cost effective and accountable.
High land values
Older people such as our members suffer from living in an area where land prices are high. We find that people moving to the area are more affluent. This drives up local house prices and other costs such as house repairs.
The area is attractive to speculators who submit planning applications, seeking high profits. Rules governing how Local Authority Planning Committees operate work in favour of powerful companies with superior litigation capability. We have observed local developments in which the number of homes deemed to be ‘affordable’ (but not really affordable) fall below the stipulated minimum. Even after promises are made, such as in the Hornsey Town Hall development, these are defaulted upon.
Typical is a small local development currently under way. The plot, surrounded by residential streets is divided into two portions, owned separately by two developers both resident in Guernsey and using the same construction company. The development replaces housing association rented accommodation. It will accommodate nearly double the number of residents who will purchase at high prices, the profits going off shore.
The small plot was originally owned by the Metropolitan Police, forced to sell because of funding cuts. The tenants were evicted,low paid workers lost their homes;now neighbours suffer the disturbance caused by the construction of this high density in-fill development.
The London Mayor should find ways to frustrate developers that exploit local authorities, making profits that leave the country.
West Haringey becoming more affluent
The west of Haringey has a preponderance of older people; many living in unsuitable accommodation. Yet they are often blamed for the housing crisis, by over occupying homes that younger people need. Many of us are ‘asset rich, income poor’; some have to resort to ‘Equity Release’ to cope with maintenance expenses.
Those coming into the area are more affluent and we see a great deal of whole-sale renovation – extra basements and lofts. Finding professional and technical workers to renovate our own properties is difficult. Those qualified to help on small-scale renovations often live far away and costs are inflated by the influx of richer residents.
Most of our members live in older housing that require updating with adaptations to make the home safe and energy efficient. Whether we rent or own their homes, help is needed with advice to get good quality service.
There is a local organisation called ‘Metropolitan Care & Repair’ that charges an annual membership and recommends reliable workers, but professional advice is needed.
One of our members recently fell and needed many weeks of hospital treatment; this was because of changes of level in her flat. [ref. 3]
We recommend that local authorities should be funded to give help and advice for adaptations and renovation.
High living costs
High living costs (rents & house prices) mean that workers, even professionals like teachers and nurses cannot live nearby.
Low paid workers such as care assistants cannot be recruited in the area. This makes additional problems for Haringey Council in delivering high quality social care. We are risk of losing the only Haringey owned Nursing Care Home, Osborne Grove. The difficulty in recruiting and retaining good quality staff has contributed to problems in keeping it open.
Several of our members have downsized or moved away in order to help younger family buy a property.
Fuel poverty
On page 130 of the Mayor’s Housing Strategy it is stated that one in ten households live in fuel poverty and new build standards are sometimes defective.
Some fuel poverty is due to billing arrangements that disadvantage the poor, for instance the Warm Home Discount does not reach all who need it. There are many signatures to a letter sent to Ofgem concerning the“Vulnerable Customer Safeguard Tariff”. This letter can be accessed from the link provided [ref. 6]. It was signed by our group.
Each year too many older people die of cold-related illnesses. Please refer to the NPC Press Release of November 22nd:
A Call for a commission to tackle fuel poverty as figures reveal
11 pensioners died every hour last winter
Britain’s biggest pensioner organisation, the National Pensioners Convention (NPC) has called on the government to launch a new fuel poverty commission to urgently address the scale of annual winter deaths among the country’s older population.
The full press release is included in the Appendix.
Lack of suitable housing for older people
Some of our members feel they under occupy their home and find maintenance a worry. Some want to downsize, but there are few suitable homes in the locality that can be afforded and would suit their needs. They want to remain near their friends and support networks; the longer they leave downsizing the more difficult it is to cope with moving.
Local authorities should have funding to help people downsize. There should be more options for renting or purchasing a suitable home in the locality.
Sheltered housing
Some of us would prefer to live where there is help at hand. There are local authority owned sheltered housing in the area, but wardens are rarely resident. A phone call must be made to get help.
Housing developments for purchase that are suitable for older people are scarce and very expensive. There will be service charges and emergency help systems may be provided by a private company at high cost.
Local authorities should have funding to provide sheltered housing with resident on call help.
Estate land at local hospitals
The Mayor’s strategy refers to the Naylor Review of NHS property at paragraph 3.40 page 74.
It is important that where NHS property is genuinely surplus to requirement, local people should be involved in the planning and building. Speculators should not dismiss local requirements, reduce the proportion of social housing and make inordinate profits.
An example is the development of two thirds of the St Ann’s Hospital estate in Tottenham Haringey. This was discussed at the meeting on September 20th. The report can be downloaded from our website
The proposal that the land at St Ann’s Hospital was surplusto need was hotly disputed. Many thought it was needed for health services. However funds were needed to refurbish the mental health wards, and this was to be released by sale of part of the estate. Unfortunately it has been reported recently that the funds raised from the sale would not be sufficient to provide the additional beds needed.
St Ann’s Redevelopment Trust (StART) is actively involved in order to ensure continued public ownership of the land and adequate affordable accommodation.
The Mayor should recognise that hospital trusts are being put under pressure to sell parts of their estates because of seven years of NHS underfunding; some trusts may race to sell in order to reduce deficits. In any case public land should remain publicly owned.
In the past many cases hospital trusts accommodated staff on adjoining land. Not many nurses’ homes remain.
The needs of older people are not well-served by hasty sales that are encouraged by the Naylor review.
Conclusion
We should like the Mayor to challenge current government policy that has fostered a property owning democracy. In the strategy it is admitted that his powers are limited.
The GLA report in reference 5 indicates the problems that local authorities have in providing good rented accommodation, and the Mayor should demand that legislation is changed so that councils can build and retain homes for renting.
Meanwhile the market has driven up the price of land and property that is increasingly owned by a minority, while many struggle to find a home. Even when housed they struggle to pay rent or mortgage.
Sensible regulation would protect Londoners who live and work in London; they should not be driven out of London. Unscrupulous speculators should be prevented from making huge undeserved profits. Without them London could prosper and be a happier city.
References
- NPC Press Release November 22nd 2017 (after estimated 34,300 excess winter deaths announced in 2016/2017) [Appendix 3]
- The report ‘Age Friendly London-how far has London come?’- Anthea Tinker and Jay Ginn, Kings College London September 2016.
- The ‘Later Life in the United Kingdom’ August 2017 factsheet pdf file provides an up to date source of publicity available and general information on people in the UK.
- Response to the consultation to the Mayor’s vision for a diverse and inclusive city from the London Region National Pensioner Convention
- London Assembly Housing Committee, ‘Right to build: What’s stopping councils building more houses?’ October 2013
- Letter to Ofgem on 21st November 2017 Re: “Vulnerable Customer Safeguard Tariff” to be found at
- AgeUK research report “Living in Fear – Experiences of Older Private Renters in London”
- December 2017 issue of the NPC's Campaign! Bulletin
- London Tenants Federation
- Private members Bill, Karen Buck, ‘Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Bill ‘January 19th 2018
APPENDIX
- My Personal Story by L A Silver-MarkellAugust 2017
I was living and working in Southampton when my husband died in 2006. I was at that time travelling to Tottenham for every home game at Tottenham Hotspur Football Club weekends and evenings either driving or by train. In 2007 I moved to Tottenham to be closer to the stadium thus avoiding the sometimes hazardous as well as long journeys.
I bought a two bedroom flat in Bruce Grove, it had a small garden, two door access with french doors. I installed a shower and hired a garage. The property allowed good access by bus to the stadium but not as easy for the return. The walk back was OK until I became less mobile.
To get even nearer to the stadium I bought and moved into a two bedroom flat in Somerset Gardens it had the benefit of allocated parking but had shared access, no garden and was a concrete jungle, the windows looked out over the car park, although it was nearer to the stadium I missed a garden. I installed a shower.
I tried several times to move to Northumberland Park and was successful in 2015 when I moved to 71 Northumberland Park a two bedroom flat, ground floor close to the sradium, with garden's back and front, shared freehold, near shops, bus stops and walking distance to the stadium, even with my limited mobility. I rented a garage in Offord Close, which is also at risk of being demolished.
On and after moving in I rewired the property, decorated throughout, replaced the old boiler with new, changed the bath to a walk in shower and laid astro turf back and front. I replaced an old tin shed with a small summerhouse, a purpose built shed for my mobility scooter and a purpose built tool shed. I planted bulbs in front and back gardens, removed large established border hedges and trees and replaced them with fencing.
In 2013 I became aware of the intention to regenerate the area 'the red area' of the ward, at this stage it was shown on the map that my home was outside of the area shown but I WAS CONCERNED that this could change.