HUNDREDS of vulnerable families are being "dumped" in former office blocks where they live in tiny rooms among ex-convicts and drug addicts in isolated areas.

Children living in the "rabbit hutch" flats in Harlow, in Essex, refer to themselves as "office block kids".

Hundreds of families on benefits have been sent to live in the old office blocks in Harlow by councils in and around London.

They are squeezed into cramped rooms in the buildings often miles away from schools, shops, public transport and health services.

Harlow's Tory MP Robert Halfon said London councils have "socially cleansed" their residents and packed off hundreds of "troubled families" to his constituency.

In May 2013 ministers changed the rules so offices could be converted into housing without planning permission - and this policy has already had a huge knock-on effect in towns such as Harlow.

Unless there are obvious concerns with issues such as flooding or contamination, local councils have no control over such developments.

Danny Purton, portfolio holder for the environment at Harlow Council, compared the use of office blocks for homes to "human warehousing".

'VERY SCARY'
Terminus House, in Harlow, is one of the former office blocks people are being placed in.

Families live in the nine-storey 1960s block among drug addicts and ex-cons.

Since the building was turned into more than 200 flats in April 2018, crime has rocketed.

Police figures show that in the first 10 months after people moved in, crime within Terminus House went up by 45 per cent, and within that part of the town centre (within a 500m radius) by nearly 20 per cent - to more than 500 incidents - compared with the previous 10 months.

More than 100 incidents involved violence or sex crimes.

Residents said it was scary living at Terminus House, which is also home to 25 people recently released from jail.

Melanie Smith told the BBC: "It is very scary. You don't know who is outside the door.

"Any arguments that happen, it is always, constantly, outside the door. Often you hear them banging against the door where they are fighting.

"The wall next to me - I had to clean the blood off it two weeks ago."

Kylie Yiangou, a single mother of a three-year-old boy, was placed at Terminus by Epping Council.

She said: "It is a nightmare. I don't care if people want to sit in a room and overdose. But not next to my son.

"One minute they are laughing. The next minute they are fighting."

'TINY' FLATS
Its owner, Caridon Property, insists it offers a "good service" and does all it can to keep residents safe. It pointed out the housing complex is covered by nearly 100 CCTV cameras.

The firm also owns Templefields House in Harlow which is made up of 180 flats.

Planning documents indicate some of the flats are as little as 18sq metres, the Guardian reported.

National space standards state the minimum floor area for a new one-bedroom one-person home is 37 sq metres. However these minimum sizes are not compulsory.

Sophie Odell, 28, living at Templefields House with her partner and two children told Essex Live in May 2018 that she "struggles" to live in the "tiny" flat.

She said: "My bed is in my living area...[my son’s] bed is in my kitchen area and my daughter’s cot is in the living area.”

Sophie said she had to take her son out of nursery as it was too far away, adding: “There is a very busy road nearby. Huge lorries come rushing down.”

She added: "Even the simple things like a walk to the shop or spending time together is impossible. I would love to cook my family a roast.

"I put my son to bed at seven and me and my partner are sitting in the dark until the next day because we don't want to wake them up."

According to its website, Caridon is run by Mario Carrozzo, who has "generated a self-made property portfolio worth in excess of £100m".

A spokesperson for the company said: "As a business, Caridon remains incredibly proud of the work our on-site management teams do on a day-to-day basis, helping house some of the most vulnerable in society. Harlow council and all other host boroughs are always offered first choice when we have a vacant property and the majority of our residents in Harlow are from the area.

"Our homes are not intended as permanent accommodation but as a stepping stone on as part of a wider housing journey. The alternative for many of our residents would a room in a hostel or B&B, where they'd have less space, security and privacy, or homelessness. Changes by successive governments to housing and welfare mean the private sector is increasingly responsible for providing such accommodation, as councils and housing associations lack the capacity.

"While there have been some issues in our buildings a number of the incidents have been exaggerated, distorted or occurred months ago. We always cooperate fully with Essex Police, who we have a good relationship with, regularly sharing information and intelligence, and take a zero tolerance approach to drug dealing.

"We are an award-winning landlord, which is a recognition of our commitment to good service and professional management. The majority of our tenants are law-abiding and happy with the accommodation they receive.

"We look forward to continuing doing the good work we are doing and making a real contribution to tackling the housing crisis, which requires more homes of all types and tenures to be built."