Family told to ‘squat' by council after no fault eviction from church trust flat
A family of six has been advised to squat in their church-owned flat after being served a "morally indefensible" eviction notice.
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Linsey Reeves, her husband and their four children were served a Section 21 "no-fault" eviction notice for their home in Ripon, North Yorkshire, just 48 hours before they were outlawed under the Renters' Rights Act on May 1.
Linsey says her family are days away from being made homeless, despite a petition signed by more than 34,000 people calling for her landlord to think again.
They believe the eviction is because they repeatedly raised concerns about the condition of the property.
The flat is owned by the Holy Trinity Properties Trust, which, according to the Charity Commission, uses profits to "further the religious and other charitable work of" Holy Trinity Church in Ripon.
Their local council, North Yorkshire County Council, has told the family to remain in the property despite the eviction notice.
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The family were told to leave the property by July 1 but say they have been unable to find another home in the area because of a shortage of rental properties and soaring rents.
Linsey says they have now approached the local council for emergency accommodation and fear they could end up in a homeless hostel.
Speaking to LBC, Linsey questioned whether the decision to evict her and her family is in keeping with Christian values.
"The council also has an extreme shortage of temporary emergency accommodation, so we're on the waiting list for a homeless hostel," she said.
“We’re currently still in the property, we’ve been advised by the council to stay put because as it stands, we simply have nowhere to go."
Linsey says the prospect of losing their home has been particularly distressing for the couple's four children, who are aged between two and 14.
She said: "The situation is absolutely devastating for all of us, but particularly for my autistic son.
"He relies heavily on stability, routine and access to specialist education. His mental health has severely deteriorated. We've had emergency GP appointments and mental health referrals.
“Something can be legally possible and still be morally indefensible.
“We appreciate the Church Trust has legal rights as a landlord but many question whether this reflects the compassion and community values people associate with the church.”
The family believes the eviction came after they repeatedly raised concerns about the condition of the property.
They say they reported mould, damp, leaks, and antisocial behaviour during their four-year tenancy.
Last year, the Property Ombudsman found in the family's favour over complaints about their letting agent, Linley and Simpson, and awarded them compensation.
Then, just a week before the eviction notice was served, council officers inspected the property and identified 16 issues, including broken windows, electrical defects and water penetrating internal walls.
For the family, it’s “difficult to believe the decision wasn’t linked to the inspection.”
A spokesperson for the Diocese of Leeds, part of the Church of England, told LBC that the Holy Trinity Properties Trust is an independent charity with its own board of trustees and is not run by church officers.
They added: "Decisions about individual tenancies are taken by the Trust's board in consultation with their letting agent, Linley and Simpson."
LBC has approached with Linley and Simpson, and North Yorkshire County Council for comment.