Waltham Forest Council accused of being ‘a brick wall’ by renter on brink of homelessness

A London renter on the brink of being evicted from his home has described his local council as “like a brick wall”, 12 months after he first handed in a homelessness application.

Petrus Burin has lived in Waltham Forest since he was a child, and in his current property for three-and-a-half years. On March 8, 2022, the community mental health worker however received a Section 21 ‘no fault’ eviction notice from his landlord, meaning he would have to find somewhere else to live.

Having submitted a homelessness application with Waltham Forest Council soon after, Petrus said he has yet to be re-housed, leaving him in constant fear of the bailiffs coming round and him being made homeless.

According to Cllr Ahsan Khan, deputy leader at Waltham Forest Council and cabinet member for housing and regeneration, the enquiries made by the local authority suggested the eviction notice was not valid. He said that was shared with the resident, along with an offer of help.

Petrus, however, has said that communications with the council have resulted in little support, and that the stress of losing their home is impacting his family.

“My daughter should be thinking about school, not worrying about where we’re going to live,” he said.

“It’s been over a year since our landlord handed us a no-fault eviction notice, but communicating with the council has been like talking to a brick wall. The constant insecurity is really affecting my mental health.

“We haven’t been able to find anywhere affordable in our local community where I work near my daughter’s school, and if the council does not rehouse us now, we will have nowhere to go.”

The London Renters Union (LRU), of which Petrus is a member, led a protest outside Waltham Forest Council’s housing department on April 26 due to what it claim is repeated failures by the local authority to re-house vulnerable people.

London Renters Union

Liam Miller, spokesperson for the LRU, said: “It’s disgraceful that Waltham Forest Council is shutting families out of vital support at the height of a rental crisis. At a time when rents and evictions are on the rise, it is more urgent than ever that the council stop neglecting its duty to protect people facing homelessness.

“Eviction can be an isolating and devastating experience for any family. That’s why we are coming together today to show that we will not let any of our members be forced into homelessness by our rigged housing system.”

The LRU added that average rent prices in Waltham Forest have become “unaffordable for most”, and now exceed 50% of the borough’s average incomes.

Waltham Forest Council

Cllr Khan told LondonWorld that the council will “always try to do everything we can to help those at risk of homelessness”, and that Petrus is in contact with housing options and support service, who will work to assess his current and future accommodation needs.

Cllr Khan continued: “The council is determined to build more high-quality, affordable, homes across the borough. We are committed to building 1,000 homes for social rent in the next few years. This is the best way to tackle the housing crisis and ensure that local families and friendship groups can remain together here in Waltham Forest.”

What are Section 21 evictions?

Section 21 of the Housing Act 1988 enables landlords to evict renters with assured shorthold tenancies, which is the majority of renters, without having to find fault with the tenants.

The eviction notice period must be at least two months, according to housing charity Shelter’s webpage on Section 21, and bailiffs must give at least two weeks’ notice of an eviction date.

The ongoing use of Section 21 has proven controversial, with the LRU referring to such evictions as a leading cause of homelessness. The Renters Reform Bill, which is still making its way through parliament, proposes to end Section 21 evictions. According to Shelter, it is expected to be debated and voted on this spring.