A North London council has come under fire after a house it purchased for over half a million pounds to address the housing crisis has stood empty for nearly three years, plagued by flood damage and unlawful occupation.
A Purchase to Ease the Housing Crisis
In April 2023, Brent Council spent £530,000 acquiring a terraced house near Sudbury Town station. The property, divided into two family-sized flats, was bought through one of the council's property companies with the explicit aim of reducing reliance on expensive temporary accommodation for homeless families.
However, the plan quickly ran into difficulties. The local authority has revealed that the necessary refurbishment work proved "more complex and time-consuming than anticipated." The situation worsened when the ground floor flat suffered significant flood damage, caused by water from a neighbouring private property and an internal incident.
A Cascade of Problems: Floods and Unlawful Occupation
Just as repairs from the flooding were nearing completion, the vacant property attracted squatters. The council confirmed the flats were "unlawfully occupied," leading to further damage and a lengthy legal process to evict them and regain control.
The Leader of the Brent Liberal Democrats and Sudbury ward councillor, Paul Lorber, has launched a scathing critique of the council's handling of the matter. He accused the authority of incompetence for failing to secure the building and criticised the ongoing cost of temporary housing.
"It is a scandal and a disgrace that Brent Council spent public money to buy a house only to keep it empty for [more than] two and a half years," Cllr Lorber told the Local Democracy Reporting Service. "The tragedy of this incompetence is that families languish for years in unsuitable bed and breakfast accommodation while badly run Brent Council allows this to happen."
The Stark Context: Brent's Housing Emergency
This empty property saga unfolds against a backdrop of severe housing pressure in the borough. Brent Council figures show:
- 33,000 people are currently on the housing register.
- 2,266 households are in temporary accommodation.
- The daily cost of this temporary housing is a staggering £100,000.
- Approximately 150 families a week seek homelessness help at the Civic Centre.
The council states that both flats are now back under its full control. A spokesperson said: "The ground floor flat has been repaired following earlier flood damage and unlawful occupation and is now ready to let. Repairs are underway to the upstairs flat, and that property should be ready to let later this month."
They added that the council followed legal procedures to remove the squatters and is working to let both homes in the coming weeks, finally bringing the long-delayed project to a close.
