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Over a month after mother of two Clavia Chambers was evicted from her Brixton home and made homeless by Lambeth Council, campaigners are now trying to persuade Lambeth council to remove the definition of ‘Intentional homelessness’ from those who get into rent arrears.
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A petition has been launched by Lambeth Housing Activists, who are seeking a deputation to the Lambeth full council meeting at 6.30 pm on 18th October at Elmgreen school, SE27 where Clavia will hope to speak at the meeting.
Here’s the text of the petition:
Rent arrears is not ‘intentional homelessness’
Lambeth council should not evict tenants who get into rent arrears because of unpaid benefits.
If tenants are evicted by a private landlord for rent arrears caused by unpaid benefits, Lambeth council should not classify them as ‘intentionally homeless’ or refuse to rehouse them.Why is this important?
Many people on part-time or zero-hours contracts have ongoing problems getting paid their full entitlement of housing benefit and end up in rent arrears.
This is what happened to Clavia Chambers who was evicted by Lambeth Council last month with her two young children and is still fighting to have this decision overturned – Lambeth Council and private renting: Clavia’s case shows how anyone can become homeless.
All unemployed, disabled and low paid workers are currently being moved onto Universal Credit. The chronic delays, cuts, and mismanagement of claims in this new system is going to make this situation even worse.
There has been an explosive rise in rent arrears among universal credit claimants. There is a real danger of spiralling numbers of evictions and more social cleansing in Lambeth because the council currently classifies people evicted for rent arrears as ‘intentionally homeless’ and refuses to rehouse them.
Lambeth council should not be evicting people who fall foul of the brutal and complicated benefits system. They should be supporting tenants to appeal unjust benefit decisions and they should use their powers to make discretionary housing benefit payments to prevent people in private rented homes becoming homeless too.
A new petition has been been launched to ask the council to stop evicting residents in rent arrears and calling them ‘intentionally homeless’ thereby avoiding any duty of care responsibility towards them.
The petition currently has 559 signatures. If you’d like to add your name to this important campaign, please sign the petition here.