Hello from Southwark Private Renters’ Support Project!
Our September newsletter updates you on our Private Renters Conference agenda, invites Afghan refugees to an upcoming Know Your Housing Rights workshop, and shares news from Aylesham Community Action.
Private Renters Conference 2025
The Private Renters Conference is just over a week away and we’re looking forward to welcoming you soon.
This year’s agenda includes:
- Implementing and enforcing the Renter’s Rights Act – Aidan Hilton, MHCLG
- Insights on renters’ reform from the Greater London Authority – Michael Gozo, GLA
- Updates from Southwark Council housing teams – Laura Wilkinson (PRS Enforcement Service), Jerome Duffy (Housing Solutions).
Know Your Housing Rights workshop
Our next Know Your Housing Rights workhop will be on Monday 22 September, 11.00-13.00 at Panjshir Aid. The workshop will be delivered in English, Farsi and Pashto, and is particularly relevant for Afghan refugees and asylum seekers.
The workshop will be delivered by a caseworker from Cambridge House’s Safer Renting service. You can sign up for the workshop or are welcome to just turn up on the day.
If you have any questions about the event, please get in touch by emailing skweon@citizensadvicesouthwark.org.uk.
Aylesham Community Action Fundraiser
Our work with private renters in Southwark has consistently shown that affordability is one of the most pressing issues they face, with only 5% of London private rents falling within Local Housing Allowance rates. This lack of affordable housing is only worsened when private developers are able to build luxury housing that excludes local communities and drives prices up even further.
In Peckham, Berkeley Homes have been leading this trend through their proposals for the redevelopment of the Aylesham Centre, for which they have reduced their affordable housing offer from 35% to 12%, against Southwark Council’s planning policies.
Aylesham Community Action have been campaigning to prevent Berkeley Homes’ proposition and are fundraising to pay for a barrister for their legal challenge which will begin in October. The fundraiser opens on 9 September and you can pledge to donate and share their campaign with your networks to support their demands for redevelopment plans that serve local communities.
Thanks for reading our September 2025 newsletter!
