Sefton: Landlord evicting four families on one street

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-merseyside-68467308#0

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Bill and Michelle have no idea where they can go after receiving a "no-fault" eviction notice

A landlord has told four families living on one street that they will all be evicted.

The tenants live in homes in Sefton, Merseyside, managed by private housing firm Jonnora.

The company told them the evictions were in response to new laws that would make it difficult to sell the properties with sitting tenants.

Renter Bill Mitchell, 65, said he'd had a "panic attack" when he learned he was losing his home.

He said when he had contacted the firm after receiving the eviction notice, it told him there was nothing more to add.

"They didn't even have the decency to knock on the door and tell me… they know what each of us is going through but they simply don't care," he added.

Another tenant, who gave her name as Pat, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) that the home she was losing was where she was raising her late daughter's child.

She said: "I told them the house holds a lot of memories.

"It's where I have all my visions of the last days of my daughter."

She added she believed the landlord's actions were "cruel" and that the company had "no compassion".

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In the letters the tenants received, Jonnora said the evictions were linked to the proposed ban put forward in the Renters Reform Bill.

Section 21 of the Housing Act, external allow landlords to evict tenants in specific circumstances but are subject to a number of strict conditions, including giving tenants at least two months' notice.

Jonnora also said proposed changes that would require all properties to meet minimum energy efficiency standards would be "almost impossible" to abide by.

Landlords would have until 2028 to improve the properties if they had sitting tenants.

But doing the work would not be "financially viable", the company's letter added, while telling the renters they would be open to offers to buy from them.

Tenant Mr Mitchell said he didn't even have the money for a deposit to rent another home, let alone a deposit to buy.

Trish Hardy, Sefton Council's cabinet member for communities and housing, said: "It's really sad that the government has failed to end section 21 evictions and people are finding themselves served notice to leave through no fault of their own.

"I recommend that anyone in this situation to contact the councils housing options service to get early advice and support."

A spokesperson for the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities said that the Renters Reform Bill will "deliver a fairer private rented sector for both tenants and landlords".

They added that it would "abolish section 21 evictions - giving people more security in their homes and empowering them to challenge poor practices".

An official date for the Renters Reform Bill to come into law has not been confirmed by the government.

Jonnora declined to comment further when approached by the BBC.

16 July: This article has been updated to clarify the situation around Section 21 notices in greater depth.

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