More than 150 residents at a development on southeast London are facing eviction after they were served with Section 21 notices just weeks before Christmas.
Many of the tenants living in Vive Living, Childers Street in Deptford have already been served with a Section 21 notice. Others living in the southeast London development have been told to expect a notice in due course.
A letter sent to residents 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.
“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.
The building features 83 flats, with a two-bedroom flat costing around £2,000 a month.
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.”
Campaigners have warned landlords are rushing to force out tenants as Labour’s Section 21 evictions looms.
The government has pledged 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.
A spokesperson for Aitch Group told the press: “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.”
