The fight for fair housing continues in Islington. After enormous pressure from campaigners the council have rejected the ‘pay to stay’ feature of the Housing Act, but campaigners will not rest as they say there is still more to be done.

Although members of the community managed to get the controversial ‘pay to stay’ tax rejected by Islington council last week, they say that this is just one step, and they need to continue in their journey to fight the housing bill.

In particular they are concerned about the proposed ban on lifelong tenancies and the demand for Islington council to sell off 400 council homes a year.

A lifelong tenancy, also known as a secure tenancy, is given to a person by the council. It means they have the right to live in that property for the rest of their life. This provides enormous security for that family.

At the moment lifelong tenancies are the main kind of tenancy that Islington council assigns to those in social housing.

The Act wants to change this to a fixed term tenancy lasting between 2 and 10 years.

The demand for social housing in islington has increased in recent years. In 2011 the council estimated that 42% of the accommodation in islington is social housing.

The proposed changes will affect anyone who applies for social housing after March 2017 when the act is expected to be enforced.

Diarmaid Ward, Councillor for Housing in Islington told City News:

“I am thrilled by the rejection of the pay-to-stay tax, but the fight continues.”

One of the activists involved in the campaign is Penelope Ward. An actress on the West End, she lives in social housing in Newington Green with her partner where she has lived for 19 years.

Penelope Ward said:

“Lifelong tennancies, or secure tenancies are essential to provide stability for young families.

“If you have children and you manage to organise some sort of life in one area of London, to have the possibility of that being taken away from you after just two years? It’s an awful prospect.”

City Investigates