Tenants in Haggerston transferred from Hackney Council to Canalside Housing Association are angry that it has broken a rent guarantee promise made before council tenants voted to privatise their homes. They have decided to increase rents for new tenants by £10.00 per week.

“This decision … breaks the rent guarantee promised before the transfer vote. It is an attack on some of the poorest in our community; homeless families moving out of bed and breakfast,” say Canalside Board reps Nick Strauss and Sheila Seabury in a letter to the Hackney Independent.

Canalside have also decided to use at least 47 homes for a “key worker” scheme. These schemes are supposed to ensure affordable housing in London for “key” workers. Canalside propose rent increases of £50.00 per week for these flats.

“This is bad for people waiting for housing in Hackney, bad for Canalside tenants waiting for transfers and bad for key workers.”

“There is no excuse for turning 47+ social housing units transferred from Hackney with around £19,000 Social Housing Grant per home, into homes for key workers instead of allocating them to people on the waiting list.”

“For key workers, renting a [1 bed] flat for over £500.00 per month does not address their need for secure, decent and affordable housing. We believe that these financially driven proposals will bring Canalside into disrepute. It is our duty as tenant representatives to publicly oppose them.”

“We call on tenants and residents to support the campaign by Haggerston, Whitmore, Kingsland (HaWK) TRA against these plans for higher rents for our future neighbours.”

Messages of support, or requests for further information should be sent to HaWK TRA at 179 Haggerston Road, E8 4JA.

(Nick Strauss is a tenant on Haggerston Estate and Sheila Seabury a tenant on Whitmore Estate.)