Dozens of Bermondsey residents facing the loss of their homes after receiving Section 21 eviction notices and steep rent hikes have urged Southwark Council to fund their legal fight against what they describe as a "predatory" landlord.
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they → face → landlord
More than 150 people on the St James Estate face eviction after being served notices and rent increases of up to £524 a month.
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people → face → 524
The estate was built in the 1990s to provide secure, affordable private rented housing.
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estate → build → housing
Residents say the notices were issued just one day before the Renters' Rights Act came into force, abolishing Section 21 "no-fault" evictions.
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Act → say → evictions
Some tenants are already facing court proceedings.
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tenants → face → proceedings
The notices were served shortly after the estate's freehold was sold by Folio London, the private rental arm of Notting Hill Genesis, to BMR Group.
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freehold → serve → Group
Tenants fear family homes could be converted into Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs), generating higher profits for the new owner.
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homes → fear → owner
The council has reportedly received several property licensing applications for the estate.
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council → receive → estate
Freshview, the estate's managing agent, previously said there were no plans to convert the estate as a whole into HMOs, but said a review found a significant number of homes were being rented at substantially below market rates.
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number → manage → rates
Southwark Council has said it is "appalled" by the eviction notices and has been working with organisations including Southwark Law Centre to support affected residents.
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it → say → residents
But tenants say public expressions of support have not translated into meaningful action.
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expressions → say → action
Addressing a full council meeting on Wednesday, Asha Garway, secretary of the St James Tenants Association, said residents risk losing "everything that we have worked for".
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we → address → that
She told councillors: "We have been advised that the Section 21 eviction notice served on us is illegally invalid.
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notice → tell → us
It has failed to meet the legal requirements, was not properly served and should never have been processed any further.
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It → fail → requirements
"Yet we still receive official court letters seeking possession of our homes."
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we → receive → homes
Ms Garway described the emotional toll on residents, adding: "Mentally, this has been overwhelming for us.
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this → describe → us
Every day brings constant worries of waking up, checking the post and checking our doors.
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day → bring → doors
On behalf of tenants, she called on the council to help fund legal representation, provide housing security for estate residents and ensure full transparency over any licensing decisions affecting the site.
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she → call → site
Residents also urged the authority to remove Freshview as managing agent and prevent BMR from operating in the borough, arguing the companies were not suitable housing providers.
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companies → urge → borough
"Our question tonight as a Tenants and Residents Association is: what are you going to do to help us?" Ms Garway said.
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Garway → go → us
"We have received court letters.
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We → receive → letters
We don't have the legal money and finance to support ourselves."
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We → have → ourselves
Responding, Councillor Reginald Popoola, Southwark's cabinet member for council homes, said it was "morally unconscionable" that BMR had issued eviction notices one day before the new legislation took effect "merely for the pursuit of profit".
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legislation → respond → profit
He pointed to an open letter from council leader James McAsh calling on BMR and Freshview to halt eviction proceedings and offer residents "realistic" rents.
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He → point → rents
Mr Popoola said council officers had been "working around the clock" to assist affected tenants and questioned how the sale of the estate had taken place without consultation.
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sale → say → consultation
"It has come out of nowhere, leaving residents in a very difficult situation with, frankly, a predatory landlord," he said.
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he → come → landlord
"We will continue to stand by you.
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We → continue → you
We are looking at various alternative means to try to assist residents."
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We → look → residents
After the debate, another resident challenged the council over the size of the rent increases.
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resident → challenge → increases
"They're doing rent increases of £524 a month," they said.
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they → do → 524
"What's to stop them doing that next year, or the year after?
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them → stop → that
How can you not stop such large rent increases?
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you → stop → increases
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