HOUSE PRICES RISE IN GREATER LONDON
Responding to reports that house prices are rising in Greater London*, Labour London assembly housing spokesman Tom Copley AM said:
“For most Londoners, today’s figures are a further reminder of how unaffordable this city has become. “While the headlines will focus on the fall in prices in central London, it is deeply worrying that prices continue to rise dramatically across the rest of Greater London.
“Boris Johnson once described the capital’s extortionate house prices as ‘the right problem to have, but for most Londoners his key legacy as Mayor will be to have turned London’s housing shortage into a full-blown crisis, with the prospect of home ownership an increasingly distant dream for many.
“Boris Johnson’s failure to deliver the housing Londoners need has meant we simply do not have enough homes to meet demand, and prices are being driven up.
“The Mayor must do more to boost house building. “He should be laying the ground for a new house builder controlled by city hall to directly commission new homes, and more forcefully pushing the government to give better funding for the building of more affordable housing.”
*Central London house prices fall ‘by up to 22 per cent’ – report by Brian Milligan BBC News June 11th
The report by LSL group says: “On a monthly basis, London house prices have dropped for the third successive month since the start of the year.
“It is the higher-priced boroughs which have seen the biggest price falls, as a side effect of costlier stamp duty on top-end properties. “For instance, home values in Kensington and Chelsea – the most expensive London borough – have dropped six per cent in the past year, and are now 16 per cent below their peak in September 2014.
“This falloff at the top tiers of the market has cooled activity levels too. “Home sales in London have dropped 16pc year-on-year in the three months to April 2015 – the most significant drop-off of all regions.
“But this belies a much more dynamic market at the lower end. “The cheapest areas of the capital are seeing double-digit house price increases, and property values in Newham, Bexley and Barking & Dagenham reached new records in April, as the pace of growth accelerates at the bottom rungs of the ladder.“ (Source: GLA Labour party press release).
TWO YEARS’ NOISE NUISANCE LEADS TO CLOSURE ORDER ON SYLVAN ROAD FLAT
A COURT closure order which followed two years continuous noise nuisance has set a new precedent, says a Croydon council statement.
The continuous noise nuisance, made life “unbearable” for a neighbour undergoing chemotherapy – and has ended with a three-month closure order on an Upper Norwood flat, the statement added.
“Croydon magistrates have ordered the Sylvan Road premises closed after hearing of failed attempts by council officers and police to bring about an amicable agreement between the landlord, tenants and neighbours.
“The court heard that in September 2013 the residents of a neighbouring flat made the first of a number of calls to the police, complaining about the level of noise coming from the flat.
“Failed attempts at mediation saw the police contact the council for assistance, leading to the signing of an agreement by all parties in February 2014.
“The agreement, however, was quickly breached and further complaints were made to the council, documenting continuing noise nuisance.
“In July 2014 two people took over the tenancy of the flat but the previous tenants made regular visits to the property and further noise was documented.
“The following winter one of the neighbours was diagnosed with cancer, undergoing intensive chemotherapy. “The tenants responded to a request to quieten the loud music, in order to give the neighbour much-needed respite.
“But when it appeared the neighbour had recovered, the noise resumed, leading to the issue of a noise-abatement notice in February 2015, along with arrests by police for harassment and obstruction.
“The following month, nearing breaking point, the neighbours approached the council, seeking effective intervention. “The history of continued nuisance led the council to decide to take formal action.
Repeated requests to meet the landlord and tenants were ignored. “Four days before a premises closure order hearing, the landlord told the council that notice to quit by 20 May had been served on the tenants.
“They failed to quit, and continued noise nuisance led to a further closure notice being served on 1 June. “The following day, the landlord claimed that new tenants had moved in – a claim refuted by the neighbours.
“Checks revealed that the new tenancy agreement was made out in the name of one of the tenants. “In court, that tenant confirmed that the new agreement was, in fact, hers, and that she had signed a tenancy for a further year.
“The landlord did not attend court, nor did he oppose the application” the council statement added.
Croydon’s cabinet member for communities, safety and justice, Cllr Mark Watson said: “This might not have been the usual type of premises-closure case, concerned with alcohol or drug abuse.
“This case was, from the outside, one of low-level nuisance. “But it was having such a devastating impact on the neighbours that flipping our focus, from behaviour to impact, meant seeing quite clearly that the test for the closure application could, in our opinion, be met.
“This case will set a new precedent in Croydon, showing victims and perpetrators of nuisance and antisocial behaviour that we will tackle the problem effectively, and where landlords decide not to intervene and assist in the prevention of nuisance and ASB, we may act independently and seek, where appropriate, all costs incurred by us.” (Source: Croydon council press release.)