Our water, electricity & gas is being shut off for ‘repair works’ – we’ll be kicked out for MONTHS with nowhere to go
FUMING high rise residents who’ve endured four years of scaffolding and repair work are now being kicked out of their homes.
Around 130 people, many elderly and vulnerable, have enjoyed living in St James Court and Albion Court, in Halifax, West Yorkshire, for decades.
They face eviction because their landlord Together Housing claims further structural work on the tower blocks can’t be completed whilst people are living in the flats.
But when the workmen begin to make more structural repairs it will entail shutting off the gas, electricity and water.
And, even then, the 1960s edifices may have to be demolished.
Angry residents are fighting back and are refusing to leave their homes and friends.
Retired chocolate factory worker Caroline Kirby, 71, has lived on the sixth floor of 14 storey St James Court for 12 years.
Speaking exclusively to The Sun, Caroline said:”The scaffolding has been up for four years now, but there hasn’t been much work going on.
“It’s terrible what is happening, I mean, people have lived here for a long time and love the flats and the community feel.
“My flat is roomy and comfortable and like many others, at this stage of our lives we didn’t really plan on having to move out.
“We are all waiting for Together Housing to tell us where each one of us is going to have to go, but at the moment everybody is in the dark.”
The scaffolding went up on both buildings before the Covid pandemic, but then no work happened until after lockdown, when the leaking roofs where fixed.
But, since then, the scaffolding has stayed in place and has become a nuisance for residents, who have lost their views, use of their balconies and have been plagued by would-be burglars scaling the outside of the tower blocks.
Retired electrical engineer Richard Guillot, 75, has lived in his 10th floor flat for 22 years.
The great-grandad said:”We don’t want to leave these flats, they are our homes.
“I have been told that two ladies in their 80s and with health issues have been ordered to leave and they are very upset. They shouldn’t be facing this at this time of their lives.
“When I moved here I saw it as a lifetime tenancy.
“Many people here are disabled and vulnerable, it’s really not fair on them.”
Mr Guillot said the flats used to be run by Pennine 2000, a housing association group.
But they were taken over by Together Housing around 12 years ago, when Mr Guillot states the problems with maintenance started.
“The scaffolding has been up nearly five years now, blocking our views and with no work going on,” he said.
“It was such a lovely place to live.”
Residents showed Sun Online costly work on fire doors, ceilings, the roof and brickwork that had been done, and can’t understand why so much money would be spent, only to be told they could no longer live there.
Faisel Hadj Hassine, 43, has lived in St James Court for 14 years, but from 2020 he suffered a leaking ceiling, damp kitchen, bedroom and soggy living room.
He had to move his belongings out into the corridor until the problems were fixed.
Defiant Faisel, who works as a carer, said: “They have only just fixed the problems and now they want me out. I’m not going anywhere, I’m staying here.
“I had no heating for seven months and the walls were dripping with water. Now all that is fixed, I have been told I have to leave – I refuse.
“I was still forced to pay full rent despite living in a damp flat. I’m not going through all that trouble to then be told to get out.”
Section 21 no fault evictions - what are your rights?
Source: Citizens Advice
- A section 21 notice has to give you at least 2 months.
- Some tenants have a right to a longer notice. For example, 3 months’ notice if your rent is due every 3 months.
- Section 21 notices are sometimes called ‘no fault’ notices because your landlord does not need a reason for eviction.
- But your landlord must follow rules to use a section 21. For example, they have to use the right form, protect your deposit and give you a gas safety certificate.
- All councils must help stop people becoming homeless.
- You can ask the council for help as soon as you get a section 21 notice.
- Your landlord must get a possession order if you do not leave when the notice ends.
- They must not change the locks or evict you themselves.
- Your landlord can apply to court as soon as the notice period ends.
- In most cases, your landlord has to apply to court within 6 months of giving you notice.
- If you have a right to a longer notice period, your landlord has 4 months from the end date on the notice.
- The notice stops being valid if your landlord does not apply to court within this time.
- This means they would have to give you a new notice if they still want you to leave.
A Together Housing spokesperson said the decision “hasn’t been taken lightly”.
They said: “Unfortunately, there’s no future for these homes and we have to do the best we can for the residents.
The spokesperson said it was expected “most residents will have been suitably rehoused over an 18-month period, but it could take more or less time”.
“We are not rushing the process for our residents and we will work with everyone on an individual basis,” they added.
