London Fire: Grenfell Tower thread five

[RhythmAndStealth]

RIP

Five victims officially named
At least 79 victims expected, possibly more
Many displaced and struggling

To all those affected and all those helping

Thread four
Thread three
Thread three contains links to threads one and two.

Being made really by lots of comments on fb this morning about Grenfell people not accepting the accommodation they've been offered.

Things like 'they should be grateful for what they're given'. Making my blood boil more than a little a bit.

I really hoped this would see the start of a bit more compassion, but give it a couple of weeks and everyone's back to their usual views. So sad.

I did comment that if I'd just escaped from a fire in a tower block I wouldn't be accepting a replacement home in another tower block but no one seems interested in that, all just agreeing with the guy who suggests they're a load of chancers who should be grateful for whatever they're offered.

Grrrrr!!!!

Victoria Derbyshire covering it now (her show has been brilliant for keeping up with the residents).

This is such a complicated situation and there are many, many reasons why people aren't taking up the offered accommodation - from it being in a tower block, to fears that accepting temp accommodation out of borough will mean they never get offered anything else. Mistrust of the authorities is exacerbating the situation, and the govt/council only have themselves to blame for that.

RBK&C also have only themselves to blame for their very, very low rate of social housing growth. The pressure on affordable housing in London is ridiculous, and they've only made it worse. Now those chickens have come home to roost in the most horrendous way possible.

The residents can't be offered decent housing in the neighbourhood because it doesn't exist - but that's not their fault and nobody should be blaming them for wanting it.

Actually, scratch that comment about decent housing in the area not existing - of course it does. But it belongs to non-domiciliary millionaires .

Completely agree with you Lord. And appreciate that there are loads of reasons people might not accept what they're offered - I just used the example of the tower block as it seemed quite easy to grasp but these people don't seem able to understand...

Would be interested to see how they dealt with losing everything and then being offered inappropriate housing. That'd be a whole other fb thread with - I'm guessing - a totally opposite tone.

I feel really worried that 'divide and rule' will come into play now, with sections of the public turning against the survivors.

After all, there are many people in this country who have had to take whatever shitty housing is offered for fear of 'intentional' homelessness - some of them will have lost homes in traumatic circumstances.

Instead of blaming the situation - created by govt policy over decades - they will blame the people they perceive as being 'better treated' than them. Disturbed to see this is already happening, Hairy .

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-40504145
Grenfell Tower: Government sends in 'taskforce'

A taskforce will be sent in to take over parts of Kensington and Chelsea Council in the wake of the Grenfell Tower fire, the BBC understands.

BBC saying housing department will be one of those parts

David Lammy @ DavidLammy
Should have happened weeks ago. RBKC totally failed, lost all trust and confidence of the community.

Met Polce have just said they have now recovered all the "identifiable remains" - 87 in total. It will take until the end of the year to complete the search of the building and further recovery.

Sorry that should be "visible remains".

They've also clarified that 87 does not mean 87 bodies, rather 87 sets of body parts. They now have to sift the rubble (quoted at 15 tonnes per floor) for any "invisible remains".

"Things like 'they should be grateful for what they're given'"

And its exactly these attitudes that in part contributed to the fire. Expecting tenants to be grateful for scraps and grateful for any work that is done on their homes. No matter how shoddy it is or how many corners are cut. Its only 3 weeks since the fire and we are back to treating social housing tenants like third class citezens.

the comments ive seen are disgusting.

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/grenfell-tower-fire-survivors-still-living-hotels-three-weeks-deadline-rehouse-residents-families-a7824276.html

Some of those who have accepted accommodation have been receiving text messages from the Government to confirm they will not have to pay rent for a year, but that they will be required to pay higher rates than they paid previously thereafter.

Some survivors have reportedly been offered new accommodation with rent up to triple the amount they paid before.

“They are receiving text messages to say they will pay no rent for a year and then will pay rent thereafter, which is scaring a lot of people,” she said.

“Money shouldn’t be an object for this council, they shouldn’t have the same problem with funds, they have stockpiled millions in reserves.

This is such an unusual and terrible occurrence you would think the rentcould be free for a year then set in line with what the people were paying before.

I saw a video (can't find it now) with someone from the council going around a flat that's been offered. They said they're relying on private landlords as well and they can only offer accommodation for twelve months and then the rent would be capped at whatever social rent would be, but if in private it would be private rent.

I know in my area HA rent has now risen in line with private rentals, and is never for longer than twelve month periods - people getting housing benefit are being moved over to local housing allowance as that's what they'll get under universal credit. Here it's actually more expensive to be in HA as they've capped the rent but the service charges are horrendous - I've heard of £30 a week and more and it's no covered by HB/LHA and there's no discretionary payments anymore supposedly

I've seen some awful posts about 'waning sympathy' for survivors today. Obviously people who have no idea what it's like or how once you've been caught in a fire the first thing you will look for is fire escapes/alarms etc.

However, I bet the council aren't.

I had a letter today from my council thanking me for accepting the flat I was offered - the one up several floors with no way for me to get in or out, and, no I didn't accept. Apparently it was done by a social worker on my behalf - they've no idea at all how frightening it is to even get a letter saying that - my circumstances of having been trapped are known by services. I'd be housebound there and could only get in or out if someone carried me up and down the stairs, which I'd need to pay for. There's no lift and one narrow staircase. I've spoken to the social worker who told me to 'chill and sleep on it as it's perfectly suited'. I can well believe grenfell survivors are being treated the same, only it's much worse for them as they're now being vilified in the press and in general conversation.

I posted something on the first Grenfell thread about how my HA sent a letter asking for rent to be paid weekly in advance. DH is a pensioner It is paid 4 weekly in arrears After swearing blind to me 3 weeks ago it was sorted we recieved another rent demand letter today.
And ive since found out LOADS of tenants have recieved this letter. They put a new computer system in last summer and it apparently caused a blackout and they dont know whats been paid and what hasnt. They are expecting tenants to cover the shortfall. I got told today its now because computer recognises its not reading arrears at 0.00. Its their cock up and yet they want tenants to pay for it Unbelievable.

The changeover here means they'll only accept payment over the Internet and weekly in advance, they will not accept monthly payment under any circumstances, they've also changed the terms and conditions as a result regarding eviction if people are in arrears.

I know someone who has been evicted because they cannot afford the extra cost of Internet and rent increase since April on top of everything else - the HAs all consider DLA to be available to pay rent, whilst many people are using it for carers (must hand over DLA and any money above the basic £73.10 a week before the LA contribute to care) or medical care which is no longer local due to cuts.

The council and HA argument for everything being online is it's cheaper for everyone. Um how exactly is it cheaper to expect people to pay for Internet access? There's one council office, and, one library both have classes using their computers for public use to learn how to use computers so cannot be used, neither building is that accessible assuming you drive due to barriers to protect the council from terrorist attack *

• just to add I live, literally, middle of nowhere - V. Rural Wales so it's very unlikely the council would be located, or, frankly anyone would give a shit.

Becca at both your posts. HAs need to be regulated properly.

The behaviour of some of them is absolutely disgusting.

TEN year old Grenfell survivor breaks down as she explains why her family couldnt accept the housing offered to them.

twitter.com/BBCNews/status/882492803149910017

Sounds like people are still being bullied into taking housing elsewhere.

www.lbc.co.uk/radio/presenters/nick-ferrari/grenfell-survivor-failing-council-relocation/?utm_source=t.co&utm_medium=referral

HAs need to be regulated

Not a chance.
Unfortunately.

voxpoliticalonline.com/2017/07/05/has-trust-broken-down-completely-between-the-grenfell-tower-survivors-and-the-authorities/

On ITV news earlier. Residents from around the tower had to be evacuated again earlier today as sensors attatched to the tower picked up that it was moving.
Apparently it turned out to be a false alarm.

This is going to scare the people who live around the tower even more.

Parents who live there will now have to try and persuade their kids that the tower wont fall on them while they are sleeping.

For last nights meeting residents had to e mail questions by 11am on Monday. And werent allowed to ask any direct questions. WTF was this about What about elderly residents who dont know how to e mail. What about the fact that many will have lost phones, laptops tablets etc in the fire?

Does this mean they had to chase around yet AGAIN looking for somewhere to e mail from.

All because they couldnt ask direct questions. V. similar to the MP who told residents to write him a letter while he was sat right there next to them on the Victoria Derbyshire show last week. Ridiculous and patronizing.

More like an easy way to prevent contact being made and then of course being able to say 'no one mentioned any of this....'

Looks like at least one Grenfell survivor has lost his job.

Consultingdp‏ @Consultingdp 3m3 minutes ago

#channel4news which company sacked Paul Dillon from crane operator job made homeless by #GrenfellTower tragedy? #disgusting #wicked

Bless that little girl. She is traumatised and will be for years to come as will all the survivors and families. Who can blame them for not taking the first accommodation offered? Firstly they must still be in a state of shock and trying to deal with enormity of what they have been through. Can you imagine trying to make huge decisions so soon. Given the track record of the council and tmo they are more than entitled to distrust that what they are being offered is the best. I've heard of residents who are scared to accept anything now in case they are then unable in the future, when they have a clearer picture, to choose a more suitable place. No one yet knows what will be put in the place of the original tower. Some people will want to live there again and why shouldn't they? For others the horror will probably be too great and again their wishes should be acknowledged and taken into account.

These are very much exceptional circumstances. The cause of the destruction of their homes quite probably will be proved to be criminal on the part of one or more individuals and corporations. I think the government already know they and the local authorities will be found to be negligent in many areas. I've seen hateful remarks that the survivors are being too fussy and comparing the situation to how flood victims were cared for. I'm sorry but this is really something else entirely. We mustn't allow the survivors to be demonized. They are innocent victims whose lives have been ripped apart.