1,000 Properties left empty in Lambeth under Labour

1.05.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Fri 6th Jun 2008

Around 1,000 Council-owned houses in Lambeth are vacant according to the Council's own figures.

The empty properties mean an estimated loss of £5 million in rent from the hundreds of families, couples or single people who are desperately waiting to be housed by Council.

Around 130 Council homes in Streatham are vacant

With around 130 empty homes in the Streatham area alone residents are noticing more and more properties being boarded up and left to rot.

Labour-controlled Lambeth Council has also been criticized for a policy of "smashing up" Council properties in order to make them uninhabitable to prevent squatters rather than just spending the money to quickly turnaround the homes for new tenants.

Speaking about the issue, local campaigner Chris Nicholson said:

"It's disgraceful to have so many homes just left vacant when so many people are looking for a place to live in the borough."

"Here in Streatham there has been a noticeable increase in the number of boarded up properties and it only makes the surrounding area look run down and unattractive."

"Lambeth Council should get a grip on this problem and spend the necessary money to get these properties back into use."

The number of empty properties has soared as a result of the former, and now demoted, Labour Cabinet member John Kazantzis sanctioning a stop for three months on all works when tenants moved out - meaning none could be made ready for reletting even if only a clean and a check was required.

"What an indictment of the record of Councillor Kazantzis, the discredited cabinet member," added Lib Dem Housing Spokesperson Councillor Jeremy Clyne. "Soaring rents and charges, failing and reduced services, housing office closures, privatisation of council homes and services, and now this scandal of empty homes - what a legacy."