Poor repairs are regularly highlighted to SHAC, with tenants and residents feeling helpless when they try to get their housing association landlords to address them. This week, a group of tenants have successfully compelled their local council, the London Borough of Lambeth, to take three housing associations to court for the condition of their properties.… Continue reading Lambeth Council Sues HA Landlords
Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick trumpeted last Friday that he was “helping to protect the most vulnerable renters” by extending the eviction ban. To recap, the first, and reasonably comprehensive ban was initiated in March 2020, then extended periodically. This makes it sounds as though provisions were simply rolled forward, but the reality is far different.… Continue reading Eviction Ban Extension: A Safety Net of Gaping Holes
The number of people infected by Coronavirus is now matching the first peak in May 2020, with around 6,000 new cases per day. Several local lockdowns are in place and government is daily adding to restrictions in movement. Yet absent is any reinstatement of the eviction moratorium, nor sign of housing associations utilising their considerable… Continue reading G15: Time for Boards to Step Up!
by SHAC SHAC will be participating in the anti-evictions Twitter storm on Friday 18th September, an initiative by the South East Region Unite Community. If you know anyone with a twitter account please share this information too for a big twitter storm at 3pm on the day, let’s get trending: Three demands at 3pm No… Continue reading Let’s Get Tweeting!
Jack, a homelessness worker and housing campaigner turned out for the three day protests opposing the lifting of the evictions ban in August. He spoke on why the eviction ban must be extended. https://vimeo.com/458310816 Jack speaking on the terrible harm caused by homelessness Video by Platform Films SHAC Chair Niall Mulholland Opposes Government plans to… Continue reading I’ve Seen the Pain that Homelessness Causes
At the SHAC open meeting on Monday 14th September, activists highlighted the need to stand together in opposing evictions, shout out against the fire safety and cladding scandals, and organise to increase tenant and resident democracy. Maintain the Eviction Moratorium The eviction moratorium - which meant that courts could not process eviction applications - is due… Continue reading Tenants and Residents Speak: Evictions, Fire Safety, and Democracy
At the end of August we joined an alliance of housing campaign groups and activists to demand that tenants are protected against evictions during the pandemic. We also demand that housing associations waive rents and service charges even after lockdown for those who can show that they have suffered economically as a result of Covid-19.… Continue reading No Evictions: Making A Demand on Our Politicians
SHAC is involved in three days of action across the UK to protest the reopening of courts for eviction proceedings.
SHAC writes in The Big Issue on how housing associations need to do more for tenants hit by Covid-19.
Each chief executive of the G15 group (London's largest housing associations) has received a letter from SHAC (see below) calling for the landlord to agree rent and service charge waiver for those hit economically by the pandemic. See the template letter and replies.
