A strike by housing repair workers could affect around 10,000 homes across the capital.

Hackney-based repair workers for Sanctuary Housing have walked out in an ongoing dispute over pay.

According to their union, Unite, the pay dispute will "continue to escalate" unless the housing association engages with workers’ demands.

Estates affected in Hackney include Gascoyne, Kingsmead and Morningside.

The strike will impact scheduled and emergency repairs to Sanctuary Housing’s stock across the capital.

The workers, who carry out repair jobs for the housing association, are angry that their pay was only increased by four per cent last year, claiming that inflation stood at more than 11pc at the time.

Unite has said that Sanctuary Housing revenues stood at £943 million in the same period, and that its chief executive, Craig Moule, earns £380,000 a year.

The strike began in February and has already taken place on three days this month.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Sanctuary talks a good game about being not for profit but behaves like a corporate shark: it rakes in millions, pays its CEO an obscene salary, has workers using foodbanks and refuses to recognise unions.

“Sanctuary can more than afford to give our members a fair pay deal. The workers have Unite’s full support in striking for as long as it takes.”

The union claims that Sanctuary also recently cancelled a £500 retention bonus payment introduced at the height of the cost-of-living crisis for thousands of staff just a year after introducing it.

A spokesperson for Sanctuary said: "We are actively engaging with the small number of colleagues who have raised concerns and remain committed to minimising disruption to our customers."

Further strike action is expected on Friday (April 19) and on three days next week (April 22, 24 and 26).