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Residents near Grenfell Tower will not have to pay rent, says council Residents near Grenfell Tower will not have to pay rent, says council
(about 3 hours later)
Residents forced to leave their homes near Grenfell Tower because of a lack of utilities will not have to pay rent, the council has said. Residents forced to leave their homes near Grenfell Tower because of a lack of utilities will not have to pay rent, the local council has said.
Kensington and Chelsea council said payments would not be requested for those living in the so-called “finger blocks” until January 2018 at the earliest. The move came as campaigners warned that those affected by the fire, which is believed to have killed at least 80 people, might boycott an inquiry into the disaster amid concerns about its scope. Kensington and Chelsea council said payments would not be requested from people living in the so-called “finger blocks” until January 2018 at the earliest. The move came as campaigners warned that those affected by the fire, which is believed to have killed at least 80 people, may boycott an inquiry into the disaster amid concerns about its scope.
Three buildings – Barandon Walk, Testerton Walk and Hurstway – have been without hot water since the neighbourhood’s boiler, located beneath Grenfell Tower, was destroyed in the fire. Many of the residents are currently living in temporary accommodation.Three buildings – Barandon Walk, Testerton Walk and Hurstway – have been without hot water since the neighbourhood’s boiler, located beneath Grenfell Tower, was destroyed in the fire. Many of the residents are currently living in temporary accommodation.
The council’s decision not to charge them rent follows an outcry after it was claimed that at least one Grenfell resident was still having rent for their burned-out flat deducted from their bank account.The council’s decision not to charge them rent follows an outcry after it was claimed that at least one Grenfell resident was still having rent for their burned-out flat deducted from their bank account.
“This group of residents have suffered a huge disruption to their lives as they were evacuated from their homes,” a council spokesman said. “This group of residents have suffered a huge disruption to their lives as they were evacuated from their homes,” a council spokesman said. “They will not have to pay rent from the date of the fire until the 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.
“They will not have to pay rent from the date of the fire until the 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 expect 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.”
“Some residents have already returned to their homes. We expect 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 news was greeted with caution by those living in the area, who have been staying in emergency accommodation.The news was greeted with caution by those living in the area, who have been staying in emergency accommodation.
Joe Delaney, 37, told the Press Association 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?” Joe Delaney, 37, told the Press Association 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?”
The Radical Housing Network, of which campaigners with Grenfell Action Group are 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.”The Radical Housing Network, of which campaigners with Grenfell Action Group are 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.”
The public inquiry has been charged with looking at how the fire started and how it developed so quickly but Yvette Williams, one of the organisers of the Justice 4 Grenfell campaign group, said the “systemic issues” also need to be addressed.The public inquiry has been charged with looking at how the fire started and how it developed so quickly but Yvette Williams, one of the organisers of the Justice 4 Grenfell campaign group, said the “systemic issues” also need to be addressed.
“They cannot just look at 14 June, when that building became an inferno. They can’t do that,” she told Sky News. “If we don’t get good terms of reference for the public inquiry and we don’t get a wide remit so that those people can take responsibility for what they’ve done, then we won’t participate in it.”“They cannot just look at 14 June, when that building became an inferno. They can’t do that,” she told Sky News. “If we don’t get good terms of reference for the public inquiry and we don’t get a wide remit so that those people can take responsibility for what they’ve done, then we won’t participate in it.”
The Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn, has written to Theresa May, urging her to widen the scope of the public inquiry. He has asked for a two-part inquiry, the first looking at specific issues regarding the fire at the 24-storey building in Kensington, west London, and reporting back soon, with a second part “looking at the national issues”. The Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn, has written to Theresa May urging her to widen the scope of the public inquiry. He has asked for a two-part inquiry, the first looking at specific issues regarding the fire at the 24-storey building in Kensington, west London, and reporting back soon, with a second part “looking at the national issues”.
Sir Martin Moore-Bick, who will lead the investigation, has said he is “doubtful” the investigation will be far-reaching enough to satisfy those who survived the blaze.Sir Martin Moore-Bick, who will lead the investigation, has said he is “doubtful” the investigation will be far-reaching enough to satisfy those who survived the blaze.
Meanwhile, a husband and wife who escaped the Grenfell Tower inferno have revealed they lost their unborn child shortly after fleeing the building. Marcio and Andreia Gomes, who was seven months’ pregnant at the time, and their two young daughters managed to escape from the 21st floor but Marcio Gomes said his wife gave birth to a stillborn child as she lay unconscious, hours after they escaped the building. Meanwhile, a husband and wife who escaped the Grenfell Tower inferno have revealed they lost their unborn child shortly after fleeing the building. Marcio and Andreia Gomes and their two young daughters managed to escape from the 21st floor, but Marcio Gomes said his wife, who had been seven months’ pregnant, gave birth to a stillborn child as she lay unconscious hours after they escaped the building.
He told the Sunday Telegraph: “The doctors came and said the baby’s heart had stopped and the priority is the mother. He told the Sunday Telegraph: “The doctors came and said the baby’s heart had stopped and the priority is the mother. My wife gave birth that night while she was in an induced coma so she didn’t know at the time. At 11.03 in the evening my baby boy was born.
“My wife gave birth that night while she was in an induced coma so she didn’t know at the time. At 11.03 in the evening my baby boy was born. “I was holding him, he looked peaceful, like a baby that was just sleeping. I wanted to be there with him but he had already died.”
“I was holding him, he looked peaceful, like a baby that was just sleeping. I wanted to be there with him but he had already died.” The couple had already decided on a name for the baby – Logan Isaac – and are planning to hold a funeral after the postmortem examination has taken place. The couple had decided on a name for the baby – Logan Isaac – and are planning to hold a funeral after the postmortem examination has taken place.
Mr Gomes, 38, said it was a traumatic time for the family as they realised things could have been much worse “but at the same time we lost a member of the family who didn’t even get to experience fresh air”. Marcio Gomes, 38, said it was a traumatic time for the family as they realised things could have been much worse “but at the same time we lost a member of the family who didn’t even get to experience fresh air”.