Protesters gathered outside a man's home in Bristol today (April 4) after it was announced that county court-appointed bailiffs were due to attempt a second eviction at the property, having previously been denied access by a human wall. George Francis, who moved into his late uncle's property in Easton ten years ago, discovered last month that he is facing eviction due to an outstanding inherited loan, believed to be around £27,000, taken out on the property and not repaid.
Mr Francis says he jointly inherited the property with his brothers after their uncle passed away. He says he has attempted to set up a repayment plan with mortgage provider Together Money to allow him to continue living there. But according to community union ACORN, which organised today's action, the company has not been willing to negotiate and will only accept the entire amount in one lump sum.
Bailiffs did not turn up at the property today at the specified time and date that eviction had been threatened. Together Money did not comment on why this was, but said that they are still reviewing the "complex and difficult situation". In a statement, a spokesperson said that although the company has "every sympathy with Mr George Francis’s situation," it is acting "in the best interests of our customer, who is the court-appointed administrator of our previous customer’s estate after his passing in 2017".
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A previous eviction attempt was made on March 21, but members of ACORN formed a human wall outside the house before the bailiffs arrived. A bailiff was believed to have shown up but did not attempt an eviction after finding the home surrounded by the housing activists, who are supporting Mr Francis, who fears he is at risk of homelessness.
Today members of the group were out in force again from the early hours of the morning but swelled in numbers at 12.30pm when the bailiffs had been expected. Ewan Mclennan, city head organiser from ACORN in Bristol, said: "The demand that we're making [of Together Money] is that George stays in his house and that they sit down and negotiate with us, and arrange a payment plan to pay off that debt that is outstanding, on a regular basis.
"I don't see why that isn't something that is being taken up by them; it would be a really simple, straightforward solution to this problem. So I hope that what is going to happen after the second time that we've successfully resisted the eviction today is that they're going to see sense, and they're going to sit down and agree to negotiate with us.
"What this lender is doing to him is a horrible thing. It's putting someone under so much unnecessary stress and pressure, and anxiety. I know that most people would be really troubled by that situation."
Khai Trungly, an ACORN member, explained that the group has been providing ongoing support for George to help ease the burden of worry should bailiffs arrive unexpectedly. He said: "Since the first eviction resistance action, we've tried to maintain a small physical presence here, so there's someone he can turn to if there are any unannounced eviction attempts, or even just giving him the space to be able to leave, go for a walk, go to the shops, carrying about his normal life."
Mr Francis is well known for his role as a community volunteer in St Pauls with Bridging Histories and St Pauls Community Forum. Mr Trungly said the strength of support on the show today was "a real testament to George's stance as a community leader".
Around 40 members of ACORN and neighbours stood out in the street in front and at the rear of the house today for several hours. Mr Mclennan said: "George has said to me that he's got a real sense that people have got his back being part of the community union, and having this number of people turnout to keep him in his home is a heartening thing."
It's action that ACORN is taking ever more frequently as the latest government data shows that repossession orders have gone up by 50 per cent in the last year, with warrants rising by 88 per cent in the final quarter of 2022 compared to the previous year. With interest rates rising at a rate not seen since the financial crisis of 2008, financial experts have warned there could be a further increase in mortgage repossession as more homeowners struggle to keep up with repayments.
Concerning the mortgage on the property, Mr Francis previously said: “It’s my uncle’s debt, and he’s passed away, but [Together Money] refused a payment plan and said they wanted all the money. How do I get to pay that debt if they won't accept payments from me? But they’re quite happy to take a lump sum, which doesn’t make any sense.
“This problem is everywhere. The legal aid and advice centres across Bristol are shut down and aren’t taking anybody because the problem is just so massive – the homelessness, the people getting evicted.
“The fight continues - we are not just going to lay down and let the rich keep getting richer and the poor definitely getting poorer. It's got to stop here.”
Together's response
A spokesperson for Together said: “Whilst we have every sympathy with Mr George Francis’s situation, it is important to recognise that he is not a customer of ours and has never owned or demonstrated any legal rights to the property.
"We have to act in the best interests of our customer, who is the court-appointed administrator of our previous customer’s estate after his passing in 2017. We are, therefore, unable to engage with Mr George Francis about the loan accounts relating to the property.
“Any right to occupy the property or payments relating to it would be for Mr George Francis to agree directly with our customer. We are not aware of any agreement being in place during the last six years.
“As a responsible lender, we will take every step possible to help customers who are struggling to pay their mortgage and focus on providing the best outcomes for them. It will always be a last resort for us to apply to the courts for a possession order when all other options have been exhausted.”
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