Mayfair squatters granted extension in court battle against landlord
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Version 0 of 1. About 40 homeless people squatting in an empty building in one of London’s most upmarket areas have won the first round of a legal fight with a landlord. A judge on Tuesday agreed to adjourn a hearing at the high court in London to give the group occupying offices at 16 Grosvenor Street, Mayfair, time to take legal advice. The property firm Quintain, which owns the lease to the building, had asked Mr Justice Henderson to grant them possession and order the squatters to leave. But the judge said the squatters should have time to seek advice and see if they had any defence to the application under human rights legislation – and he adjourned the hearing until Wednesday. Related: Bring back squatting – it’s the solution to our housing crisis Barrister Katie Helmore, for Quintain, had opposed any adjournment and said the squatters had no defence to the application for possession. Jed Miller, 23, a squatter who represented the group and addressed the judge, said it was in the “interests of natural justice” to allow time to seek legal advice. He told the judge that the homeless people occupying the building were vulnerable and said some had physical and mental health problems. Helmore told the judge that Quintain had become concerned after a fire broke out at the building last week and a man had been arrested on suspicion of possessing a firearm. John Glackin, a campaigner who works with homeless people and is offering support to the squatters, said outside court: “If people are forced to leave they will be on the streets and run the risk of being arrested for vagrancy.” He said the local authority, Westminster city council, was aware of the squat. The British History Online website says the property was originally part of the Grosvenor Estate and dates back to the 1720s. |