Lambeth Council in south London, which recently announced plans to charge landlords nearly £1,000 for rental licenses, is now under fire for evicting over 100 tenants.
The council’s Selective Licensing Scheme, set to begin in four wards with potential expansion to another 19, mandates a £943 fee for landlords. According to a council report, this initiative aims to make Lambeth “a place we can all call home.”
However, controversy has arisen as the council has been accused of displacing over 100 private tenants from estates slated for regeneration and potential demolition.
The BBC reports that these properties, initially council-owned, were sold under the Right To Buy scheme and later repurchased by Lambeth Council. These homes were then leased through private letting agencies, with some tenants unaware they were effectively renting from the local authority through its arms-length management company, Homes for Lambeth (HfL).
Now, with plans to redevelop or demolish parts of these estates, Lambeth Council is requiring tenants to vacate. A council spokesperson told the BBC, “The council is seeking to use all the properties it can to support those families most affected by the housing crisis. The properties in question are former Right To Buy homes that the council has bought back, and we are planning to use them to provide vital housing for homeless families in our borough.”
The spokesperson added, “These properties were let to private tenants on a fixed-term basis, as Assured Shorthold Tenancies, and this was only ever intended to be a short-term measure. The tenants have been advised that when their current fixed-term tenancies come to an end, they will not be renewed. The agencies managing the tenancies on behalf of Homes for Lambeth have contacted tenants to let them know that their tenancy will not be renewed and, where suitable, to offer support to help them find alternative accommodation.”
One affected tenant, Mylene Lejuste, shared her story with the BBC. Lejuste and her husband signed a two-year lease in January 2022 and agreed to a renewal last November. However, within months, they were informed that Lambeth Council needed possession of the property. Lejuste, whose six-year-old son attends a local school, expressed her frustration: “When we viewed the property and they asked us how long we wanted to rent the place for, we said three years plus. Since day one we have told them this is our home. We are looking for a long-term house. I felt abused and fooled. They knew from day one. I feel they haven’t been transparent.”
As Lambeth Council pushes forward with its licensing scheme and redevelopment plans, the displacement of tenants continues to spark debate and concern among residents and advocacy groups.