Flats blighted by anti-social behaviour are known to London drugs gangs, a residents’ representative told a meeting with councillors and housing officials.
Craven Vale resident Lee Catt said that five flats left empty after the council moved on tenants with drug problems would be let to vulnerable people, reigniting the cycle of problems.
Neighbours on the east Brighton estate have experienced anti-social behaviour and drug-related problems in recent years.
Previous meetings between tenant reps, councillors and officials heard that, last August, a nightmare neighbour had left people in fear.
After court action, the anti-social neighbour was removed from his flat in October and, since then, other troublesome tenants had also moved off the estate.
The problems came up at a Brighton and Hove City Council housing management panel on Tuesday (14 February). The panels offer tenants and leaseholders a chance to raise issues with councillors and officials.
Mr Catt told the meeting on Tuesday evening that residents’ lives had improved, saying:
“We are in a much better position as long as the five or six vacant flats are not rehoused with anti-social behaviour tenants and drug dealers again.
“We’ve not had any news of what’s been happening with those flats. We’ve had a rough idea. The council is still trying to work out what’s being done with them.
“I suggest they go back on the general housing list because all the drug dealers in London know which housing is available for these tenants so, once they’re occupied, they can pay them a visit.
“We are now just waiting on the council to see if you’ll hold up your end of the bargain and don’t put these troublesome tenants in.
“I hope you’ve increased your database on these tenants and you’re aware of that information as well.
“I know the database is not being read properly or the information read properly, because a national newspaper had the young man’s name, with what happened under Brighton and Hove council’s care, and he went into a ‘sensitive let’ with that history.
“(The council told) all the residents there is no history and they have a perfect record. But the police have told us he doesn’t have a perfect record and we were put under a flag when we call in because he was a danger to the residents.”
Housing boss Martin Reid said that the housing department was well aware of the situation in the community and was responding to what residents were saying.
He said:
“You had a traumatic time here and we’ve been to a number of meetings about that and we need to keep an eye on it.
“We are attending community meetings. We are listening to residents as no one wants to go back to that situation.”
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