Rogue landlords concern residents

4:29pm Friday 18th July 2008

REPRESENTATIVES of flat dwellers in Erith met housing minister Iain Wright to discuss problems which have arisen in the town's new developments.

Erith Town Forum chairman Doreen Ives and resident Alec Tapper were accompanied by Erith and Thamesmead MP John Austin and Erith councillor Margaret O'Neill.

They explained to the minister developers who built blocks of flats in the town had subsequently sold large numbers of the flats in bulk to absentee landlords.

As a result, other residents, who bought their own flats, have been plagued with problems of identity theft and anti-social behaviour by short-let tenants, as well as having no sense of community.

There has also been large-scale benefit fraud.

The group urged Mr Wright to look at granting more powers to councils to prevent rogue landlords taking control, especially with large developments planned as part of the Erith Western Gateway scheme.

Mrs Ives said: "He understood the social implications of the problems and gave useful information on how councils could exercise more say in the way flats are sold."

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