More than 150 residents at a London development are facing eviction after they were served with notices just weeks before Christmas.
Some of the tenants living in Vive Living, Childers Street in Deptford have already been served with a Section 21 notice, known as a “no-fault eviction”, under which tenants can be removed from rented housing when a fixed-term tenancy ends or during a rolling tenancy. Others have been told to expect a notice in due course, and once served residents will only have a few months to find somewhere else to live.
A letter sent to residents, seen by The Independent, informed them that due to “upcoming refurbishment of the building” all apartments must be vacated.
“As part of this process, you will be issued a formal notice of possession, which will specify the date by which you will need to vacate your apartment,” the letter added.
No residents have reported serious building defects, which was completed in 2017, and no planning applications to make substantial changes to the building have been submitted to Lewisham Council, a local councillor said.
Some tenants were moving into the building just three weeks ago. One told The Independent she had signed a tenancy agreement, paid her deposit and was then sent an eviction notice two hours later. She was due to move into the building on Saturday.
The building contains 83 apartments, with a two-bedroom flat costing around £2,000 a month. Vive Living’s website boasts all apartments have access to co-working spaces, a cinema, a cafe and a roof terrace.
Maryam Ahmed, 32, who works in learning and development, moved into the building six months ago. “Receiving the recent eviction notice has turned my life upside down, leaving me overwhelmed and distressed,” she said.
Ms Ahmed said she is dealing with significant health issues, including loss of use of her dominant right hand, which may require surgery in the coming months.
“Instead of focusing on my health and recovery, I find myself scrambling to pack up my belongings - one-handed - and searching for a new place to live… The thought of delaying essential medical treatment because I need to prioritize relocating is devastating.”
A joint letter to the property developer Aitch Group, sent by the local MP, Ward Councillors and the Chair of the Lewisham Housing Committee, said they are “dismayed that Aitch Group have chosen to abruptly issue these notices weeks before Christmas.”
“The private rental market in the North of Lewisham is overburdened, unaffordable and difficult to navigate at the best of times,” the letter said.
“Now, in a usually quiet period, you risk flooding the market with newly evicted tenants. We are extremely concerned at the possibility of there being too few homes for the people you plan to make homeless.”
Nicole Ka, 26, is a greengrocer, small business owner and student. She moved into the building two years ago with her son, who attends the local pre-school. She said she found she was able to find a sense of community in the area.
“This is a time of the year when I should be putting forward admissions for his primary school, and preparing a memorable holiday season, but with the thought of facing homelessness; with a child, I struggle with a level of anxiety I've never felt before.
“This S21 notice has come as a great shock to our household, and the impact of it will not only render me vulnerable but will deprive my three-year-old of a simple and secure life I have worked so hard to provide us.”
Campaigners have warned landlords are rushing to force out tenants as Labour’s ban on no-fault evictions looms. Sir Keir Starmer and Angela Rayner have promised to outlaw Section 21 evictions, with the ban expected to be implemented by next summer.
Ministry of Justice figures showed that, between July and September, 8,425 households in England were served with Section 21 notices - an eight year high.
Housing charities called for the passage of the Renters’ Rights Bill to be sped up, with almost 110,000 households now having been evicted under Section 21 since Theresa May promised to ban it in April 2019.
Vicki Foxcroft, MP for Lewisham North, told The Independent: “I was dismayed to learn that residents of the Vive Living block in Childers Street had been served with a Section 21 eviction notice just a few weeks before Christmas.
“Even worse, they have not been given a clear reason for their eviction by the landlord.
“Thanks to the new Labour Government, so-called ‘no-fault’ evictions like this will soon be a thing of the past.
“But our immediate priority must be to get some answers for Childers Street residents. I have therefore joined local councillors in calling for an urgent meeting with the landlord.”
A spokesperson for Aitch Group said: “Aitch Group have issued a section 21 notice to tenants at the Vive Living development in Deptford to facilitate the refurbishment of the building.
“The tenants have been given two months’ notice, as a minimum, in accordance with their tenancy agreements. We are working with residents to assist them with their relocations.”
