Council decides if Grenfell residents should pay rent
Evacuated Grenfell Tower victims won't be charged rent for the flats they are unable to live in.
It has taken two weeks for the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea council to come to the decision, at the fury of local residents. Â
Three buildings close to charred block have been without hot water since the neighbourhood's boiler, located beneath Grenfell Tower, was destroyed in the fire. Â Â
Grenfell tower, where at least 80 people died in a devastating fire. The survivors want the inquiry to go back beyond the day of the fire itself
Yvette Williams, who represents Justice 4 Grenfell, said the remit of the inquiry needs to go beyond the day of the fire itself
The decision comes after a survivor of the inferno reported she was still being charged rent for her ruined flat.Â
Yvette Williams, a coordinator for campaign group Justice 4 Grenfell, said the survivor made the shocking discovery when she obtained a new bank card and saw her statement.
A Kensington and Chelsea councillor said she was 'very sorry to hear' the claims.
It comes after a catastrophic few days for the council, with leader Nicholas Paget-Brown resigning on Friday after he scrapped the first meeting of councillors since the blaze.
The move sparked furious protests from residents and calls from London mayor Sadiq Khan for commissioners to take ove r the council.
Now the crisis-struck authority said its focus is on the needs of all affected residents, including those in surrounding areas.Â
Any rent deducted from tenants since the blaze will be refunded, a spokesman said.
Ms Williams said she received a call from the distressed survivor on Friday.
She said: 'She came to me and said she had just got her bank card and that she went and looked at her bank statement and they had deducted rent for Grenfell Tower.
'It is, you would think, a simple process (to fix) as it can be done on a computer.
'It is quite clear that whatever is supposed to be happening down there isn't happening - it is about what checks and balances are in place there.
'Of course she is distressed, we have all seen the tower and what it looks like, everyone is living there.'
Asked if the survivor had raised her concerns with the council, Ms Williams added: 'She hasn't. She has lost her home, she has lost everything.'
A council spokesman said: 'We are focused on the needs of all affected residents, including those from Barandon Walk, Testerton Walk and Hurstway.
'This group of residents have suffered a huge disruption to their lives as they were evacuated from their homes. They will not have to pay rent from the date of the fire until end of January 2018 when we will review the situation.
'If any resident has had a direct debit or standing order payment for their rent taken this will be refunded.
'We will be writing to everyone shortly to inform them of this. Some residents have already returned to their homes.
'We exp ect to have the hot water supply restored during the next week so anybody else who wants to go back home can do so. We will continue to provide temporary accommodation for those that don't want to return.'
The development was greeted with caution by those living in the area, who have been staying in emergency accommodation.
Resident campaigner Joe Delaney, 37, said it was 'welcome news', but added: 'Can they confirm that any money that they consider as being paid to residents will not be deducted from any compensation that residents may eventually receive?'
Sir Martin Moore-Bick looks at floral tributes as he leaves the Parish of St Clement church. He has already said the scope of the inquiry may be limited
Joe Delaney
The Radical Housing Network, of which campaigners Grenfell Action Group is a part, had earlier called for rent to be halted and refunded, saying: 'The trauma of the entire Lancaster West community is unimaginable, none of the residents should pay rent when questions over the safety of their homes remain.'
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