Bankrupt houseowners leavingtenants facinghomelessness

That’s according to Londonderry Progressive Unionist Party (PUP) representative, Nigel Gardiner, who told the Sentinel he’s been inundated with complaints from concerned tenants worried they could be made homeless after Christmas.

Mr Gardiner said: “Five families have approached myself and colleagues working with the PUP, facing an uncertain future, in relation to property that they have rented off local landlords.”

The PUP representative said some tenants are effectively facing eviction as a result of ‘Notice of Intention to make an Order for Delivery of Possession of Land’ notices being served on landlords.

Mr Gardiner said the PUP is calling for leniency on the part of creditors and the authorities.

“Now, we are calling on the courts to show a more lenient approach, to be more sympathetic, because these people, who signed into a tenant’s agreement, went into it openly and honestly and have paid the rent faithfully but yet and all they now find themselves where they could be made homeless shortly after Christmas,” he said.

The erstwhile PUP election candidate said the situation underlined the need for a major social housing capital build across the city.

“We are calling on the Housing Executive to look at a capital build. To have affordable housing and looking at the rights of the people because it is a fundamental right under human rights legislation that people are entitled to affordable housing.”

He said homelessness remains a huge issue in the Waterside, stating: “In the Waterside it is a big problem. You go into Nelson Drive, you go into Tullyally, there are a few houses that are actually vacant but the Housing executive aren’t willing to release that on the basis that they use them to store equipment for when they commence their capital build,” he stated.