A woman has divided opinion after saying she would move out of her posh Kensington apartment block if victims of the Grenfell Tower disaster were rehoused there.
The woman, named Donna, called up LBC radio and told presenter Shelagh Fogarty she would feel resentment towards the victims if they were moved into the luxury building she lives in for free, because she has to fork out a service charge of £15,500 a year.
Authorities say that around 250 people who lost their homes, and all of their belongings, in the fire will be rehoused into the 68 one, two and three bedroom properties bought by the City of London Corporation within a £2 billion apartment block in Kensington Row.
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Credit: LBC
But several local residents have expressed their anger at the move.
Donna told the host: "My service charge bill, and this is a low one this year, is £15,500.
"And I would feel really resentful if someone got the same thing for free.
"I feel sorry for those people, but my husband and I work very hard to be able to afford this. And for someone to get it free, I would move."
The host seemed unable to believe what she was hearing and asked the caller: "You'd move?"
"Yes I would," Donna replied.
Credit: PA
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"Because our council tax bill is very, very high, our service charge bill is very, very high - so why should someone get it for free?"
Shelagh seemed less than impressed with Donna's attitude, saying: "Donna, it does sound harsh. You sound hard-hearted."
However, Donna wasn't backing down, telling the host: "No, I'm not hard-hearted, Shelagh. But when I'm paying that kind of money and someone else is getting it for free - if you stand in my shoes, you can say that.
"It's like paying a rent to live in your own house, £15,500."
The luxury flats some survivors will be rehoused at. Credit: PA
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Seeing the other side of it, Shelagh continued: "If it's no direct personal cost to you - they're not asking you to pay the service charge for these people - wouldn't it be nice to allow these people - to be one of the lucky few, Donna - who get to do something direct for these people?
"Lucky you that you've got that money and you haven't been burnt out of your home.
"This has been an extraordinarily terrible event, and it just seems to me that it would be a great opportunity to show a bit of generosity.
"And not even generosity of money, in your case - just generosity of spirit."
What do you guys think? Is Donna being harsh, or has she got a point?
Featured Image Credit: PATopics: Grenfell Tower