Press statement from Rochdale Metropolitan Trades Council: Rochdale against Covid Evictions (RACE) was set up specifically to reduce the impact of Covid-19 on the most vulnerable members of our community.
Mission statement:
No one should lose their home because of COVID 19 arrears yet Rochdale faces a bow wave of COVID related evictions.
We aim to help people stay in their homes through providing advice and support to tenants and by demanding that the Local Authority and Landlords fulfil their obligations and remain within the law.
We seek a permanent solution that will see council houses built and managed by the local authority.
Rochdale Metropolitan Borough Trades Council is calling for the government to do more for those who will be threatened with eviction and calling upon Rochdale Council to prepare for additional renters seeking emergency housing assistance from them.
In a very short time we have seen our support grow amongst trade union, community and faith groups across Rochdale who share our concerns and are proud to work alongside Greater Manchester Law Centre and Greater Manchester Tenants Union.
Eviction threat after Covid-9 arrears
Homelessness often has lifelong consequences for people. The social and financial costs of homelessness and resettlement are huge and will fall to our already over stretched council.
Precarious employment, zero-hour contracts, a shrinking jobs market and the worst sick pay in Europe all contribute to the increasing vulnerability of renters with many people struggling with in work poverty and just one pay packet away from destitution. Giving people longer to pay only delays the inevitable, you can’t pay 24 months rent with only 22 months pay.
Israel has gone into the 2nd lockdown and we in Rochdale are worried about the lack of testing and how that may allow a second wave to develop under our noses making many of our community even more vulnerable.
Families who are evicted often have their work, school and access to medical care disrupted too.
Government Approach
March 2020 Robert Jenrick said, “No renter who has lost income due to coronavirus will be forced out of their home”. But the government have done little more that to kick the can down the road which gives renters little comfort and we need to see a long term solution to the housing crisis. Firstly by the halting evictions until the end of august then giving a 11th hour reprieve pushing that date back to 21st September and more recently banning evictions for six months the government have shown a lack of understanding and an unwillingness to come to the aid of renters as they did their friends in business.
The financial cost of evictions will fall upon the public purse and we demand a fully resourced intervention.
Rochdale Metropolitan Borough Council
*Have not assessed the potential number of evictions
*Is unprepared for the additional evictions
*Will end up overstretched unless they prepare
*Will foot the bill for emergency accommodation
*In a response to a member of our group the lead member for the council replied that, “We don’t know about possession orders because we don’t have a Magistrate’s Court. This is something that Greater Manchester are looking at.”
1. We don’t know about possession orders because we don’t have a Mag’s court. Possession orders are heard in County Court, not the Magistrates.
The authorities duties under the Homelessness Reduction Act extends the period an applicant is “threatened with homelessness” from 28 to 56 days, and in addition ensures that anyone that has been served with a valid section 21of the Housing Act 1988 eviction notice that expires in 56 days or less, is classed as “threatened with homelessness”
Prevention is the key here and hence our question about assessment of the problem and allocation of resources.
It is possible that a tenant does who does not have the correct advice who leaves when a landlord serves a notice could be deemed intentionally homeless and the council would claim that they therefore have not got a duty towards them.
The advice is always stay put (unless a risk of harm)
2. This is something that Greater Manchester are looking at
The duty falls to the council, and whilst there may be collaboration, you’d hope that there was, the duty remains with Rochdale Metropolitan Borough Council for its residents.
There may be ways in which we can help to prevent you from being homeless.
*If you’re having problems with any of the following, please get in touch with us:
*Your landlord has asked you to leave…
We can help you stay in your accommodation by offering:
*A mediation service
*Help with your money
*Talking to your landlord on your behalf
*Advising you of your rights and responsibilities
*Support with your tenancy
*Finding alternative accommodation
The Homelessness Reduction Act 2017 is enacted from April 2018. The Act places a number of new or strengthened duties on local authorities that are designed to ensure all households at risk of homelessness receive earlier and more effective interventions.
The part of the HRA that we are most concerned with at this point is outlined in Policy Fact Sheet: Threatened with Homelessness clause 1, which extends the period an applicant is “threatened with homelessness” from 28 to 56 days, and in addition ensures that anyone that has been served with a valid section 21of the Housing Act 1988 eviction notice that expires in 56 days or less is classed as “threatened with homelessness”
Landlords
We are calling upon Greater Manchester social housing landlords to pledge never to seek possession for rent arrears on “mandatory” grounds and hence reduce the risk of unjust evictions resulting from CV19 by making one significant commitment –
A pledge not to issue rent arrears possession proceedings on mandatory grounds.
Rochdale Metropolitan Trades Council can be contact via Facebook here.
October 19, 2020
