GMB welcome Peabody U-turn on auctioning off social home

GMB welcome Peabody Housing Trust decision not to auction off social home and instead allocate it to family on Tower Hamlets waiting list

This home will now be used for what it was always intended, an affordable home for a local family, says GMB London

GMB have welcomed a U-turn by Peabody Housing Trust, following their decision to no longer auction off social housing in Tower Hamlets.

Following pressure from the local community, supported by GMB London Region, Peabody Housing Trust has withdrawn 17 Robinson Road off the market and will be making it available to be allocated to a homeless family off the Tower Hamlets waiting list.

GMB London Region has previously protested against the auctioning off of social housing to the highest bidders. [See notes to editors for previous GMB press release on social housing auctions]

Vaughan West GMB London Political Officer said:

“This perfectly adequate home should never have been listed for sale by auction in the first place. London has a massive housing crisis and we never expected a social housing provider such as Peabody to sell off properties such as this one.

“However, we are pleased that after pressure from the local community, Peabody have finally seen sense and agreed with Mayor Briggs of Tower Hamlets, that this home will now be used for what it was always intended, an affordable home for a local family.”

ENDS

Contact: Vaughan West 07967 342197 or GMB London Press Office 07970 114762

ENDS

Notes to Editors

Previous GMB Press Release

GMB support pickets against auction of social housing (11 February 2019)

https://www.gmblondon.org.uk/news/gmb-support-pickets-against-auction-of-social-housing