Barham Park tenants to protest Monday over 'premature' notices to quit

From Brent Housing Action

DEMONSTRATION: 

The Grange, Neasden Lane, NW10 1QB between 5pm and 6:15pm 

 Monday 11^th August 2014

 

 Tomorrow, Monday 11th August, marks the due date for the first tranche of households to leave the Barham Park Estate under the premature Notice to Quit orders issued by Brent Community Housing (BCH).

It also marks the two week anniversary of the initial meeting between Senior Council Officers and BCH to negotiate an extension of the tenancies for the 42 affected households which would comply with the Council’s regeneration plans.
 

Phase 2c of the Barham Park Estate regeneration last week. This is where the remaining council tenants are due to move in “early 2015″ prior to demolition of remaining properties.

In an email to a resident dated 4^th August, Cllr Margaret McLennan, Lead for Housing and Regeneration said:

As previously stated, our senior Officers are in discussion with BCH. They know the Members view on this and have stated our grave concerns at their unilateral action. Nothing will happen while we are in discussion or beyond this. I promised I would update you once I had firm confirmation, and I shall.

This is a very positive statement, and the residents of Barham Park gratefully acknowledge the efforts Cllr McLennan has put into resolving the situation.

Regrettably it does not allay the concerns of those who are due to move out: they have two primary issues:

1) That if they DO move out on the NTQ due date (s) they become “intentionally homeless”, and will lose any potential assistance from Brent’s Housing Options Team to find alternate accommodation;

2) If they DO NOT move out, and so engage in the legal eviction process to give them access to assistance from the Borough, under their current contracts BCH have no obligation to rehouse them.

The tenants have therefore sought clarification, asking if the NTQs have been suspended pending the outcome of the negotiations, and requesting “non-prejudicial” access to rehousing via BCH in this instance. This last point is particularly contentious as some of those involved in organising, and merely signing, the earlier petitions have reputedly been verbally informed they will not be rehoused. 

In fact to date none of the affected 42 households has been offered alternative accommodation.

It has been decided therefore to call a demonstration outside the BCH Offices to show the level of solidarity between the affected tenants, their neighbours and supporters with the intention of getting BCH to re-examine their current stance.

The demo will take place outside The Grange, Neasden Lane, NW10 1QB between 5pm and 6:15pm on Monday 11^th August 2014. The Grange is located on the central roundabout at the top of Dudden Hill Lane and Neasden Lane (google maps shows the wrong building!). Nearest tube is Neasden on the Jubilee Line, a three minute walk away, and all bus routes through Neasden Junction stop nearby (182, 297).

Please do try to attend, but if you can’t you may wish to contact BCH with your thoughts by calling 020 7624 3168 or emailing info@bchcoopha

Help Barham Park Estate's Temporary Residents extend their tenancies

An urgent petition has been launched following the failure of attempts to rectify 'premature notices to quit' on tenants of landlord Brent Community Housing affected by a regeneration in Barham Park. Signatures need to be collected before Monday July 28th .

This is the petition - link to sign at end

We the undersigned petition the council to intervene in the premature issue of 42 "Notice to Quit" orders issued by Brent Community Housing to its tenants and subletting organisations who are resident in the Phase 3 development area of the Barham Park regeneration plan. These NTQs require all the affected residents in these 42 properties to leave by 18th August 2014, when the Council's website clearly indicates there are no plans to proceed with the Phase 3 demolition until early 2015. We therefore request the Council uses its influence with its contractor to extend the above tenancies until January 2015.

We believe that the premature issue of these 42 NTQs is liable to be financially detrimental to the Council in terms of lost rental income and the security of tenure and duty of care for existing Council tenants.

It is our understanding from viewing the Council’s regeneration plans, and from discussion with the contractors and others involved in the proposed scheme that Phase 3 is unlikely to start for at least six months. The Council’s website states that the current building under construction, Phase 2C, is not due to become occupied until “Early in 2015” (http://brent.gov.uk/regeneration/barham-park-estate-regeneration/the-barham-park-estate-project/). To date it has been usual to start to move tenants into the new builds prior to initiating the next demolition schedule.

In addition to forcing a large number of young single people to seek alternative accommodation, which will impact on the council’s Housing Options Team, and the substantial loss of income to the Local Authority, we are also concerned about our neighbours who have council tenancies and are awaiting rehousing. They have already expressed their worries that leaving these 42 properties empty will encourage anti-social behaviour from outside elements.

 Sign ePetition