A Bexley resident has spoken out after some tenants on a Thamesmead estate have seen a steep rise in their rent.

Sulaimon Jinadu is among 40 property guardians fighting back after being hit with sharp rent increases.

He and some other residents have been given notice to quit.

News Shopper: Sulaimon is among residents calling for fairer rents in Thamesmead (photo: Sulaimon Jinadu)Sulaimon is among residents calling for fairer rents in Thamesmead (photo: Sulaimon Jinadu)

Mr Jinadu would have seen his rent go up from £390 to £650 a month after the initial rise to £820 was revised down.

A property guardian is someone who pays cheaper rent to live in a property that would otherwise sit empty.

The building can often be former pubs, offices or police stations and the guardians are normally required to do volunteer work.

Housing firm Peabody has teamed up with property guardian company Dot Dot Dot to provide property guardian arrangements in 120 Thamesmead homes since 2015.

But now residents on the Thamesmead estate are appealing to Peabody to cut Dot Dot Dot out of the deal after the dispute over rent.

Backed by the London Renters Union, they held a protest last week after negotiations stalled.

Dot Dot Dot said demand for their homes was high and they had no choice but to increase rent – or housing fees – to ensure they could operate “safely and sustainably.” They said a clear timeline was provided to those affected.

Mr Jinadu said he has been told to leave next month after failing to agree to the new rent arrangements in time. He said he was open to re-entering into negotiations.

He said: “I don’t know if I’m going to have a roof over my head. [Dot Dot Dot] are not being reasonable, they are not trying to understand where we are coming from.”

He says he became a property guardian to help him save up more money, but the rent changes plus the rising costs of council tax and gas were making life difficult.

Mr Jinadu now faces a “notice to quit” along with other tenants who did not sign up to the new contracts earlier this month.

Residents are proposing to take over management of the property themselves, and are receiving advice from housing groups on running such a scheme.

Peabody, which has been contacted for comment, will respond to the proposal next week, according to the London Renters Union.

Dot Dot Dot’s chief executive Mark Ackroyd said: “By setting fees in a consistent way, we can continue to offer housing cheaper than other private sector rental options. In turn, that will allow us to house guardians who contribute positively through volunteering and in other ways.”

The MP for Erith and Thamesmead Abena Oppong-Asare said: “I understand how difficult this situation has been for those involved, who face either paying the higher rate or leaving their homes.

“I have made representations to both Dot Dot Dot and Peabody, who own the building, and I am urging them to continue to engage with the residents about a fairer way forward.”

Have you got a story for us? You can contact us here.

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to keep up with all the latest news.

Sign up to our newsletters to get updates sent straight to your inbox.