Housing

Labour-run Lambeth Council have a terrible record on housing.

With a waiting list of over 35,000 people, a failed council-owned "Homes for Lambeth" project, disgraceful amounts of disrepair claims, and a worrying record of Housing Ombudsman findings - Lambeth residents could be forgiven for asking "is there anything Labour are doing right?"

To give you a sense of the scale of failings, check out 

• Labour choosing to ramp up energy costs on council tenants, despite a cost of living crisis: LondonNewsOnline reports on the steep costs here
• Despite being scheduled for “in-housing” due to systemic failings, “Homes for Lambeth” is asking for yet more money: the Brixton Buzz report on the latest episode in this sorry (and expensive) saga
• Another storm, another estate roof blown off. Labour are neglecting housing maintenance, as the Brixton Blog highlights here
• The Housing Secretary called out Lambeth Council as one of the worst performing councils in the country when it comes to social housing: the government published a report here
• Labour-run Lambeth have been forced to pause estate demolitions by tenacious local residents and a damning independent report: but is the planned “reset” (consultation) a genuine change of approach? Time will tell
• Another day, another case of Labour-run Lambeth failing to adequately maintain council housing: this tenant could’ve been killed after ceiling collapsed, twice!
• Labour-run Lambeth houses tenants out in Essex despite previous high court ruling against this approach: LondonNewsOnline reports on Labour’s failing (and heartless response) here
• Ten years on from her original complaints to Labour-run Lambeth and a mother is still left with leaks and mould. Mould so bad that it has given her son rashes: The Mirror reports on the council incompetence which has left a young boy “disfigured”
• Labour-run Lambeth have been ordered to compensate tenants for leaving them without working toilets and showers for weeks! The BBC reports on this and other failings here: Lambeth Council: Disabled father left without toilet for three weeks
• The independent housing ombudsman issued a damning call for ‘radical improvements’ at Labour-run Lambeth Council after five findings of severe maladministration. Another year, another failing: read the housing ombudsman’s latest report on their website
• Labour Cabinet member for “new homes” writes to local community to explain that the council won’t be allowing a West Norwood development for new homes to proceed: Clapham Nub News provides the background here
• The council's own minutes layout shameful repairs failings and expensive external contracts: Housing Scrutiny Sub-Committee Minutes 15th Nov 2022
• Labour-run Lambeth block much needed housing development, citing "indoor bicycle storage...could discourage [residents] from cycling": Developer loses battle to build South London flats
• The Brixton Buzz calls out record levels of complaints: Lambeth Council receives more-than 9000 complaints from residents in a six month period
• The Brixton Blog reports on Lambeth's respons to their failed housing venture: Lambeth council accepts damning home-building report
• Central Government highlights Labour's failings as a social landlord: Housing Secretary shames three more failing social landlords
• An in-depth investigation shows Lambeth has the record for longest wait times: Housing crisis saw 2,300 die while waiting for a council house in 2021 | openDemocracy
• Inside Croydon reported on the failed council-owned "Homes for Lambeth" being brought back in-house: Now Lambeth Labour forced to ditch its failed housing venture | Inside Croydon
• The Brixton Buzz reports on the independent review which recommends disbanding "Homes for Lambeth": Kerslake review sinks Homes for Lambeth and recommends ballots for estate regeneration
• The Housing Ombudsman calls out Lambeth for severe administration: Severe maladministration for Lambeth’s lengthy delays on window repairs
• MyLondon exposed Lambeth's approach to some homeless families - export them to Croydon: Thousands of Croydon's homeless 'exported' from South London boroughs next door
• MyLondon reports on Lambeth failing another vulnerable resident: Baby living in 'unbearably cold and damp' Lambeth flat now has breathing difficulties but council 'ignoring mum'
• The Brixton Buzz reports on the shambles behind the scenes at "Homes for Lambeth": Homes for Lambeth – Lambeth council’s private developer – staggers from one calamity to the next
• MyLondon exposes Lambeth's failure to fill empty properties - despite record housing wait lists: South London council blasted by locals as more than 1,800 homes sit empty - MyLondon
• London News Online reports on (another) estate being failed by Lambeth Council: Lambeth residents on estate where police have to carry tenants upstairs and raw sewage pumps out of bath – South London News
• London News Online calls out Labour Councillors for failing to meet commitments on repairs: Lambeth estate residents still living with rotten windows and leaking ceilings six months after councillor promised to help – South London News
• Kwajo (an online housing advocate) exposes terrible conditions with mushrooms growing and a slug infestation in one council flat while another resident is forced to live with a leak and mould, despite having a young child!
• LocalGov reported on severe maladministration findings by the housing Ombudsman: Your authority on UK local government - Council landlords named and shamed
• The Brixton Blog give an oversight of a range of failings by Labour-run Lambeth Council: Lambeth council housing: multiple service failures – Brixton Blog
• MyLondon outlines the sheer scale of failings and mismanagement by Labour-run Lambeth: Hundreds of council homes empty in Lambeth as 36,000 locals on waiting list
• Lambeth's own records show rocketing levels of disrepair claims and over £12million spent fighting residents in court and paying out compensation: HOUSING SCRUTINY SUB-COMMITTEE 16 NOVEMBER 202
• ITV reported on repairs and social housing failures by Lambeth Council: Woman crushed by ceiling collapse as ITV News exposes yet more social housing failures

This list is non-exhaustive and covers barely more than a year of reports from across the media spectrum. Even their most passionate supporters must be asking themselves, is the Labour Party really up to the job...