Hastings: Housing Rebellion campaigners protest against auction of empty home

Housing Rebellion started its protest at 8.30am today (Thursday, July 25) and said it carried out the demonstration to try and prevent the four-bedroom property from being sold at auction by Southern Housing.

During the protest, they unfurled banners outside the property.

Police were also called to the scene, Southern Housing confirmed.

Protestors said they are demanding Southern Housing stop selling off homes and instead rent them to homeless families in temporary accommodation, or to those on the waiting list for social housing in the town.

Felix Lozano, from Housing Rebellion, said: “The vast majority of Southern Housing’s properties in Hastings were all originally built with public money as council housing. They have no right to flog off these valuable community assets when they are so desperately needed. We need more social housing, not less.”

Housing Rebellion said only 189 social homes in Hastings were let last year and there were still 1,547 households on the waiting list at the end of the 2023.

The group held a similar protest in June at Clifton Court, in Holmesdale Gardens, as well as holding a demonstration last November outside the same block of flats, owned by Orbit housing association, where the group staged a rally against the ‘thousands of empty homes’ in Hastings.

A spokesperson for Southern Housing said: “As a responsible social landlord, we’re fully aware of the extent of the housing crisis and the National Housing Federation has also highlighted to Government the importance of investing in new social housing.

“This situation is not unique to us and is replicated across the country.

“A very small number of our homes don’t meet the standards we want for our residents. The decision to sell any of our homes is not taken lightly. The money raised contributes towards our programme of new homes, including the 204 affordable, energy efficient homes we’re currently building in Hastings that will house local people.

“We’re aware that police have been called today to remove trespassers at 26 Baldslow Road.”