Row prompts halt to social housing sales
A HOUSING association has agreed to delay the sales of homes in Westminster, after a Wood&Vale investigation.
PCHA was criticised by residents for selling three social housing apartments in Westbourne Crescent, Paddington.
The flats were sold at a Savills auction in Mayfair on Monday for £166,000, £170,000 and £250,000. The Wood&Vale has discovered the association also sold homes in Ashmore Road, West Kilburn, (£590,000) and in Westbourne Park Road, Westbourne Green (£250,000) at the same auction.
In a letter to Labour leader Paul Dimoldenberg, Westminster housing boss Rosemary Westbrook stated: "PCHA have agreed to halt all future proposed disposals in the City of Westminster until PCHA and Westminster can consider alternative options to disposals."
A spokeswoman for Genesis Housing Group, which owns PCHA, said the sale of four homes been suspended in October to allow discussions with the council. However, she said, there has been no agreement to halt all future sales.
The association needs to raise millions to refurbish properties in line with the government's Decent Homes Standard by 2010.
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