Stella Creasy has told MPs a housing charity is interested in buying the Butterfields estate in Walthamstow and saving its tenants from eviction.

During a debate in the House of Commons yesterday (Wednesday, April 20), the Walthamstow MP said Dolphin Living had registered an interest in taking on the 63 properties on the estate.

The charity, part of the Dolphin Square charitable foundation, provides affordable homes for working Londoners.

It purchased the New Era estate in Hackney in December 2014, after previous owners, Westbrook Partners, announced plans to quadruple its tenants’ rent.

However, speaking in the Commons, Ms Creasy claimed Butterfields owners, Butterfields E17, were refusing to negotiate with the charity.

She said: “I can reveal that Dolphin Living have formally stated they are prepared to make an offer for the entire estate, keeping these hardworking families in residence in their homes and able to work for this city.

“Yet, still the owners refuse to negotiate, hoping by their tactics, residents will go quietly and they can continue to flog off the flats to push up their profits.

“If we cannot save this estate with the help of Dolphin, the fate of these residents is unlikely to be a happy one.

“Local rents have rocketed to close to double the amount these tenants were originally paying and far above what most of them could afford.”

The Butterfields housing estate was rented by Glasspool Charity Trust at affordable prices until last year, when it was bought by developers Butterfields E17.

The company served eviction notices on some of the tenants, many of whom live on low incomes or benefits.

Several homes on the estate were then listed on the Savills auction list at the Marriott Hotel in Grosvenor Square, eventually selling for more than £300,000 each.

Speaking at the debate, housing minister, Brandon Lewis, said: “The housing charity Dolphin, which I do know and is an excellent organisation, want to negotiate with the new landlords to keep the residents of Butterfields estate in their homes at the correct rent.

“I am very happy to do what I can to support driving forwards that negotiation to get the parties to the table.

“I cannot imagine the residents could be in better hands than having Dolphin Living in due course as an organisation to be working with. That, in itself, that Dolphin want to be involved is good news.”

Butterfields tenants who refused to leave their homes after eviction notices expired last month, are now preparing to face legal proceedings.