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KCTMO to lose management of Kensington and Chelsea homes
The landlord of Grenfell Tower is set to be stripped of its management status for Kensington and Chelsea Council’s nearly 10,000 homes, the council has confirmed.
Kensington and Chelsea Tenant Management Organisation (KCTMO) manages the Lancaster West Estate, which Grenfell Tower is part of, as part of its stock of 9,760 homes in the borough.
A council spokesperson confirmed to Inside Housing that Barry Quirk, interim chief executive, had written to KCTMO informing it of his recommendation to change the management of the borough’s homes.
Mr Quirk told the Evening Standard that the management of KCTMO agrees with the recommendation.
He said: “I didn’t feel I could give assurances about safety for them managing large capital works.”
Last week prime minister Theresa May told a group of Grenfell residents that KCTMO would no longer manage the Lancaster West Estate.
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Scotland Yard has said it has “reasonable grounds” to suspect both the TMO and the council could have committed corporate manslaughter charges for their role in the Grenfell Tower fire.
Residents said they had reported fire safety concerns to KCTMO before the blaze on 14 June but had been ignored.
Elizabeth Campbell, leader of Kensington and Chelsea Council, said: “We have listened to communities and to the residents of north Kensington, and it is clear that public trust has been broken and there is no future role for the KCTMO. We are determined to act properly, thoroughly and fairly to restore trust in the council over time.”
KCTMO has been approached for comment.
Update: at 5.30pm, 29.08.17 This story was updated to include a new statement from Kensington and Chelsea Council.
“The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea and the Kensington and Chelsea Tenant Management Organisation (KCTMO) have agreed the role of the KCTMO will cease in due course.
“The council is looking at all options for managing its housing in the future.
“The council has listened to communities and residents of North Kensington and has agreed that there is not a future role for KCTMO at the Lancaster West Estate. The Council and KCTMO are working on a swift but carefully-managed transition.
“The council and KCTMO have also agreed there will be an urgent and measured process to consider options for the management of rest of the organisation’s housing stock. This will involve full consultation with residents. After listening to residents’ feedback so far we have agreed that KCTMO will not be one of the options considered for continued provision of housing.
“This transition will enable KCTMO to continue to operate while we work to have an orderly transfer of housing responsibilities.
“The overriding priority throughout the process is to work thoroughly and fairly to restore public trust over time.”
