Independent media outlet News From Crystal Palace has exposed alarming practices involving council-owned properties in Lambeth. It has discovered that rogue landlords have been unlawfully renting homes on the Central Hill estate and another unnamed council-owned estate.
At the heart of the controversy is Labour Party-led Lambeth Council’s questionable handling of social housing and the ensuing confusion surrounding evictions and tenancy legitimacy.
Central Hill: a microcosm of gentrification
Central Hill Estate in Lambeth, London, has become a focal point of controversy and debate over gentrification and the destruction of social housing.
Constructed between 1966 and 1974, the Central Hill estate comprises over 450 homes and was designed by prominent architects including Rosemary Stjernstedt and Roger Westman, under the guidance of Lambeth Council’s planning department and Ted Hollamby. This modernist social housing project was celebrated for its innovative design, community-focused layout, and integrated amenities such as nurses’ hostels, day centers for the older people, and on-site medical facilities
In recent years, however, Lambeth Council has targeted Central Hill Estate for demolition, citing issues of damp and an alleged link between the estate’s design and rising crime rates.
According to the council, refurbishing the existing buildings would cost approximately £44,000 per dwelling—a figure far exceeding the cost of redeveloping other estates, which average around £16,000 per unit. This financial discrepancy, compounded by broader housing demands, and alleged greed and corruption, has driven the council to plan for the construction of an extra 400 homes, many intended for private sale.
Residents and advocacy groups strongly oppose the demolition. They argue that the estate’s issues are primarily due to long-term under-maintenance and neglect by Lambeth Council rather than inherent design flaws, and emphasise its cultural and historical significance. Campaigners are pressing for alternative regeneration plans that would preserve the estate’s unique character while addressing structural concerns.
The battle over Central Hill continues. However, a story by News From Crystal Palace has exposed another twist in this tale.
Lambeth Council: rogue landlords operating
The revelations about Lambeth Council arose following an attempted eviction on Wychwood Way, where campaigners from ACORN Lambeth intervened.
Instead of offering clarity or accountability, Lambeth Council’s initial statements were evasive, denying any involvement in sending bailiffs or instructing any form of eviction. Yet, evidence, including a video circulating on social media, clearly shows individuals sporting council-issued lanyards, suggesting an undeniable link between the enforcement actions and the council’s operations. This contradiction underlines a disturbing opacity in the council’s communication, raising serious concerns about their transparency and governance.
Lambeth Council’s astonishing admission – that an injunction had been obtained against an unnamed organisation allegedly involved in the illegal occupation and fraudulent renting of council homes – does little to allay these concerns.
The council’s decision to label the occupation as the work of an “organisation” rather than addressing the possible involvement of individual rogue landlords or internal mismanagement appears to be an attempt to shift blame and obscure accountability. The language used by the council seems carefully crafted to obscure responsibility and maintain plausible deniability.
Furthermore, the article highlights the disconnect between the council’s public relations efforts and the actual impact on affected residents.
Multiple failures – which are not surprising
While Lambeth Council insists that all occupants have vacated voluntarily, community activists suggest that this narrative is being used to deflect criticism from the council’s apparent failures in property management and tenant protection.
The evasive responses to straightforward questions about the number of affected properties, the identity of the rogue landlords, and the timeline of events only deepen suspicions about the council’s competence and integrity.
Critically, News From Crystal Palace’s revelations raise questions about how an outsider could gain access to council properties without detection, implicating serious lapses in the council’s oversight mechanisms.
Lambeth Council as an institution is either woefully negligent or deliberately obfuscating issues related to housing fraud and mismanagement. The failures of Lambeth Council not only jeopardise public trust but also contribute to the broader housing crisis affecting the local community.
And of course, we only know all of this thanks to News From Crystal Palace.
Featured image via the Canary
