Kensington and Chelsea (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Mental health charity SMART says Kensington & Chelsea Council locked it out of its offices with little notice, leaving it without premises weeks later.
Operating out of a building’s basement near Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, SMART has been unable to enter the property since Kensington and Chelsea Council ordered it to vacate so that necessary repairs could be made.
Additionally, the building’s owner, the municipality, has padlocked the gates, depriving SMART of an appropriate location to help its members. SMART’s director, Amelia Mustapha, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) that the organization knew that repairs were necessary because of things like asbestos.
She claimed that while she was on leave, an officer sent her an email stating that the basement needed to be vacated “immediately” despite continuous discussions with the council about the repairs and the necessity for the charity to temporarily decant.
The entire situation has been a “utter nightmare,” according to Ms. Mustapha, who expressed concern about the effects on those who depend on the charity’s services.
According to a representative for Kensington and Chelsea Council, the local government “is to make the basement safe and protect people” even though it is aware that the closure may cause SMART some temporary discomfort.
St. Mary Abbots Rehabilitation and Training, or SMART, offers assistance to individuals who are at risk and require mental health services. The NHS refers to the majority of the charity’s members, however anyone can also drop in or self-refer.
Participants in the charity’s arts and design programs receive compensation for their labor at establishments like the on-site café.
According to Ms. Mustapha, she and the council had decided that the project would start in late August or early September and run roughly a month. This would allow the charity time to develop its own delivery strategy and keep helping its employees and members.
However, the LDRS was able to view the email addressed to Ms. Mustapha on August 13 stated that the building should be taken out of use “immediately” and that the situation had been escalated internally.
“We value the work of your organisation, and whilst the issues are resolved at 15 Gertrude Street we will provide you with interim facilities,” the email read. “You will be able a move [sic] to units 1 & 2 on the World Ends Estate within the few days, and we are seeking access to a kitchen for you. However, you will need to cease operations at 15 Gertrude Street by 14:00 on Friday, 15th August 2025.”
Ms. Mustapha stated that the council was aware of the holiday when she returned from leave a few days later, finding members and staff in “utter chaos” and unsure of what to do.
In addition to having access to the garden, SMART was given a movable hut where employees could work and have a table. However, according to Ms. Mustapha, they have not yet moved into their temporary location at the World’s End Estate and do not currently have a risk assessment from the council or a timeframe for the work.
“There was no risk assessment done,” she claims.
“The council is saying that health and safety is their priority but they’ve put vulnerable people in a very dangerous situation and we’ve seen the consequences of that. We’ve seen that people are becoming unwell.
We know that there aren’t enough hospital beds locally with the Gordon being closed down. Mental health resources are really stretched. So that’s the primary concern, that very vulnerable people have been put in a dangerous situation with no support, no plans.”
According to Ms. Mustapha, she has asked for a deadline and a tenancy agreement, and she has urged the council’s Overview and Scrutiny Committee to look into the matter.
Ben Coleman, Labour MP for Chelsea and Fulham, said:
“It is shocking that Kensington and Chelsea Council blocked SMART out of its building without warning. Three weeks after the sudden closure they have still not given it the alternative premises they promised. This is tough and cruel for the many residents with mental illness who SMART helps. The council needs to sort this out quickly and decently.”
The council informed the LDRS that a structural survey will be carried out after the asbestos was removed in order to determine the source of the water intrusion and examine any damage to the steel and concrete. After the survey is finished and the results are evaluated, SMART will receive a timeline for the preliminary work that will be updated.
A spokesperson for Kensington and Chelsea Council said:
“We have been holding talks with SMART about a move of premises and alternative accommodation since June 2025, when our inspector found water ingress and the presence of asbestos in the basement.
While the asbestos is currently safe, we were concerned that water ingress can disturb it which could be a serious health risk. We therefore took the decision to close the basement of the building now and progress works. We know this is causing some short-term inconvenience to SMART, but our priority is to make the basement safe and protect people.
We have an alternative premises for SMART to use from this week which SMART have signed a lease for and we are continuing to support them to provide their services in other community locations. While of course safety will always remain our top priority we will review the process to see if we can learn lessons for a smoother move, should a situation like this arise in the future.”
What legal steps can SMART take against the council over eviction?
First, SMART needs to review any lease, licence, or tenancy agreement that defines its occupation of the offices to determine whether the eviction was valid. Specifically, we are looking to see whether a notice period needed to be provided for, whether there were valid grounds for eviction and if in any way the council breached the contract.
If they discover that the eviction was not valid, or that proper notice was not given, SMART may apply for an injunction or interim order from the court, allowing it to regain access to the property or stopping further evictions.
If the council failed to comply with the terms of their eviction process (and as a result SMART Contract Shop has sustained identifiable losses) SMART may also commence a civil claim for breach of contract against the council for damages or specific performance.