Fire victims told by banks: You must still pay your mortgage

By Becky Barrow and Inderdeep Bains

Wrecked: The burnt out shell of Tottenham’s Carpetright building (right). Residents of the flats above have been denied a break in mortgage payments

Britain’s banking giants were slammed yesterday for refusing to help the innocent victims of the riots.

For many, the iconic image of the violence was the burning Carpetright building in Tottenham, North London, and the flats above the shop.

But it emerged yesterday that  residents whose homes were gutted in the blaze are still being forced to pay their mortgage.

Speaking exclusively to the Daily Mail, the housing association’s chief executive said he is ‘livid’ and ‘appalled by’ the banks’ behaviour.

Bill Payne, 56, said: ‘The country came to the assistance of the banks when the industry was collapsing. It does not leave a pleasant taste in the mouth that they won’t come to our help now.

‘I think their behaviour is hard-nosed, insensitive and immoral.’

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