‘They are making us homeless to house the homeless’: 150 families evicted in council buy-back scheme

At least 150 families have been served eviction notices after a council moved to buy back properties being privately rented on three estates – leaving many homeless or forced to move out of the borough.

The properties being brought back by Lambeth council are “affordable” private rentals on the Central Hill Estate, Fenwick Estate and Westbury Estate – managed by the council-run Homes for Lambeth.

The estates are under a council redevelopment programme which covers three other estates – Cressingham Gardens, Knight’s Walk and South Lambeth. 

The strategy was designed to develop and empty properties on the estates to create new homes for social housing tenants. Lambeth recorded 4,195 households in temporary accommodation in October 2023,

Jules Zakolska, 26, lives on the Fenwick Estate, in Willington Road, Clapham North, with her partner July Kaliszewski, 23. They received an eviction notice on February 1 to leave the property by April or face being kicked out.

She said: “They are displacing us or making us homeless to house the homeless – it isn’t a solution to the problem.

“When we moved in we were never told we would have to move out for this.

“I have no family in this country and nowhere to go.”

A council report setting out the plans states leasehold, freehold and council tenants on the estates would be able to transfer to another council property or be offered an “early buy-back” – when the council buys the home from the homeowner at market value. 

The report does not state what will happen to those renting privately.

Lindsay Gibbs, 34, of the Central Hill estate in Hawke Road, Norwood, also received an eviction notice. 

She said: “I am on low income and this was my only way to rent. I have been here for three years and have a six-year-old child who has been diagnosed with ADHD. He struggles with change and changing schools will have a severe impact. 

“I live near his grandmother who is the only person that can provide childcare for him. 

“To have the threat of everything I know getting taken away is terrifying.”

Another Central Hill Estate resident, Alson Sonanburg, 50, said he will have to move out of the borough to afford a home for his family. They are being evicted the day before his daughter’s fifth birthday.

He said: “I have never missed rent or taxes. How do I explain this to my children? They will lose their friends and their education halfway through the school year.”

Pete Elliott, 55, is the Green Party candidate for Dulwich and West Norwood. He has been sofa surfing since he was evicted from the Central Hill Estate last March as a result of the council buy-back scheme.

He said: “The programme has left dozens of the properties empty – why not fill up the empty homes first before evicting people ?”

The council report stated that in “exceptional circumstances” properties would be left empty.

Mr Elliott is part of the Gyspy Hill Safer Neighbourhoods group, which has received reports of people breaking into empty homes on the estates, “scammers” giving away keys to properties and illegal raves.

The regeneration plan has been controversial since its foundation in 2014.

In 2015, the High Court found the council had broken the law in its consultation with tenants of the Cressingham Gardens redevelopment.

Mr Elliott said: “The council should have done an equalities impact assessment that includes private renters.

“We want to see a full investigation into the decisions made around the regeneration of these estates.”

A spokesman from Lambeth council said: “Lambeth is committed to doing everything possible to tackle this borough’s housing crisis, and our work has led to hundreds of families moving into new homes at council rent over the past few years.

“This latest proposal will help meet this challenge. These properties were let to private tenants on a fixed-term basis, as Assured Shorthold Tenancies (ASTs), and this was only ever intended to be a short-term measure.

“The agencies managing the tenancies on behalf of Homes for Lambeth will contact tenants to let them know their tenancy will not be renewed and offer support to find alternative accommodation if required.

 “We apologise for the distress caused to some residents by this change and the way it has been communicated. We will continue to improve the way we communicate with residents as we complete the process of transitioning Homes for Lambeth back into the council over the coming months.”

Picture Top: Pete Elliot outside the Central Hill Estate (Picture: Pete Elliot)