A family-sized home, left empty by Haringey Council for nearly a year, has now been taken over by squatters, despite promises by Housing bosses that it would be brought back into use this month. The property, at 15 Nelson Road, Stroud Green (N8), was occupied last week, three months after local Liberal Democrats raised the issue with Haringey Council.
In December last year Haringey Council promised that the property, which is a much sought-after three-bed family home, would be brought back into use by 26 March 2010. Yet no action has been taken on site by Haringey Council.
Liberal Democrat councillor for Stroud Green, Richard Wilson, has written urgently to the Cabinet Member for Housing to demand answers why Haringey Council has failed to act and what will be done to remove squatters.
Cllr Richard Wilson (Stroud Green) comments:
“Local residents were promised by the council that action would be taken to bring this family-sized house back into use. Haringey Council has failed to do this and now squatters have seized on the opportunity to move in.
“One of the neighbours is an elderly lady in her eighties who, I’m told, is quite distressed about the situation.
“We now need a clear plan of action by the council to see what can be done about the squatters and bring this home back into use.
“Given the huge shortage of family council houses in the borough, Haringey Council’s failure to act is an absolute scandal.”
Lynne Featherstone, MP for Hornsey and Wood Green, adds:
“This home could be used by one of the many families in Haringey who are stuck on a waiting list, in overcrowded temporary accommodation.”
Lynne Featherstone 
I do believe there are somewhere close to a million domestic properties lying empty in the country as a whole. They are not utilised for a number of reasons, mostly to do with finances. Every council is always looking for extra finance from government, or for permission to raise extra finance from council tax etc. Having empty properties is one way of putting pressure on government, or indeed council tax payers for raises to be made. The same properties will be used for several years in this capacity. The only way to get these properties back into use is for ‘squatters’ to take them on. Afterall pocession is 9/10ths of the law, isnt it. A very tough argument for councils to answer, in courts of law, revolves around usage. The council have been remiss in the upkeep and usage of the property. While the ‘squatters’ have moved in and rescued the property from further damage, most Magistrates or Judges would be loathe to return such a property to the council knowing that it will be shut up and left to rot again.