Tenants lose fight as council can evict families to house homeless

Tenants have lost a legal challenge against a Labour-run council after they were served eviction notices to make way for homeless families.

Earlier this year, Lambeth Council decided to reclaim over 160 homes on council estates. These properties, previously rented out through the private rented sector by Homes for Lambeth, a private company wholly owned by the council, were reclassified as temporary accommodation.

As a result of the council’s actions, more than 160 families have been served Section 21 eviction notices, with residents warning this could leave them homeless despite the council’s duty to prevent homelessness.

We need to use these properties

One of the tenants applied for a Judicial Review following the council’s decision to evict private renters. However, this was refused in March, and last week a judge dismissed their appeal.

Mr Justice Linden ruled that the council had acted lawfully throughout.

Councillor Danny Adilypour, Lambeth council’s deputy leader (Housing, Investment and New Homes), welcomed the decision.

He said: “Lambeth is on the front line of a national housing crisis, and we are doing everything we can to provide the most disadvantaged and vulnerable families in Lambeth with a safe, decent home.

“It is right that we are taking back former council homes that were lost through Right to Buy. We need to use these properties to provide safe, secure homes for our most vulnerable residents in urgent need of housing, rather than leaving them to be rented on the private market to those who have the means and resources to pay market rent.”

He adds: “The number of homeless households supported by the council has increased by 50% in the last two years, and Lambeth is now providing temporary accommodation for over 4,700 homeless households every night.

“The cost of housing homeless families in overnight accommodation has risen to more than £100million a year. This is why we have to use all of the properties available to us to support these homeless households and bring these costs down.”

Making people homeless to house the homeless

The Homes for Lambeth Tenants (HFL) group warns tenants threatened with homelessness due to the decision could be forced to rely on Lambeth Council for support.

Former local Green Party councillor Peter Elliot told the Big Issue: “The fact that Lambeth Council is evicting its people from its own homes is just mind-blowing for me.

“Many people have left so what’s left for Lambeth Council is really people who can’t go anywhere. They genuinely are making people homeless to house the homeless.”

Homes for Lambeth also points out that it is the council’s legal duty to prevent homelessness.

In a statement on Instagram, HFL tenants said: “Most of HFL tenants, who are currently being served eviction notices by a ‘private company’ set up and fully owned by Lambeth Council, will have a duty to be housed by the very same council.

“The technical ruling on whether the council should have rented homes ‘privately’ in the first place does not mean that the council’s decisions are fair or ethical. Merely because something is deemed to be legal does not automatically make it just.”

The group adds that they will continue to fight for justice after the ruling.

The group says on their social media page: “The judge did not find in our favour. Still, we remain committed to fighting for each of our tenants and ensuring that we are not made homeless.

“We recognise that we should have never been put in this situation, especially by a local authority whose legal duty it is to prevent homelessness, yet here we are. And we are determined to persevere.”