A STRESSED parent claimed they ‘can’t break it to my kids’ as 150 families were made homeless so council tenants could move in.
Locals in Lambeth have been told they now have to move out of council owned properties.
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My London reported that Lambeth Council set up a subsidiary to let out properties. The properties offered some of the cheapest housing available to private renters in Lambeth.
But tenants who signed 12-month rolling contracts have now been asked to move out of their homes by bosses at Lambeth Council.
Some locals have now said the situation is “unbearable” and have complained that they cannot find affordable accommodation to move into.
Joana Zenunllari, 33, and her husband Adrian Doka, 38, who live on the Central Hill estate, told My London they received letters telling them to leave in the next few months.
The couple, who have two children, now fear being made homeless. Adrian said: “I’ve got two kids and a wife, why should we be put in this situation?
“No one has given us any information about the steps going forward. The council and estate agent say they don’t know.”
Adrian said that although he managed stop taking anti-depressants last year, he had started taking them again.
The dad said that he could not bring himself to break the news to his children.
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Lambeth Council said the move comes amid efforts to reclaim more social housing for the borough.
July Kaliszewski, 23, and Jules Zakolska, 26, moved into Fenwick Estate in April 2022 and recently received an eviction notice from their landlord.
Jules recently being diagnosed with fibromyalgia and is unable to work.
She said: “I’ve only just started to get a footing in life after the diagnosis.”
In November 2022 the Kerslake Report found found Homes for Lambeth (HfL) had only started building 65 new homes since it was set up in 2017.
Pete Elliott, who is the former councillor for Gipsy Hill and prospective parliamentary candidate for Dulwich and West Norwood, is now sofa surfing after his landlord sold the flat back to the council.
He said the council had gone ahead with the plans without any consultation and described the process as “horrible.”
He said that the property he was forced to move out was not empty and described the council’s policy as “horrible.”
What are your eviction rights?
Currently, landlords have to give you 14 days notice before serving you an eviction notice period.
Once you’ve been served this eviction notice, you have a two month period before court action can be started against you.
After this period is up, your landlord has four months to take you to court.
If your landlord does take you to court, you could also end up being liable for some of the costs
Under the new government scheme, a housing expert can work with you to try and find out what may be causing someone to seek possession of your home, and recommend solutions.
They may be able to help on matters such as:
illegal eviction
disrepair and other problems with housing conditions
rent arrears
mortgage arrears
welfare benefits payments
debt
Also, charities like Shelter and Citizens Advice might also be able to offer some assistance.
Legal aid could also help if you have a serious housing problem.
If you are on benefits or have a low income you could get:
telephone advice from civil legal advice
an appointment with a legal advisor or solicitor
help at a possession hearing from a court duty advisor
You can also get help with stopping or delaying eviction, court action for mortgage repossession and illegal eviction and harassment.
Lambeth Council spokesperson said to The Sun: “These homes were purchased by the council in order to reclaim former council housing stock and provide vital housing for homeless families in our borough.
“There was never any intention for these properties to be let on the private market in the long term.
“This move will benefit the lowest income and most vulnerable households in our borough with the most urgent needs, which is exactly what our housing should be used for.
“The current private renters are not being evicted. The properties were let to them as private tenants on a fixed-term basis on Assured Shorthold Tenancies and only as a short-term measure.
“These tenants have been advised that when their current fixed-term tenancies come to an end they will not be renewed.
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“We are reviewing the future of these estates, and work to these homes has been undertaken to bring them to a decent standard. There will be a number of voids in the borough at any one time as homes are improved and people move between properties.
“We apologise for the distress caused to some residents by this change, and support is being offered to those affected to find suitable alternative accommodation.”
