Our campaign has won our demand that Optivo/Southern Housing stop their eviction and that our member is re-housed in local social housing. Last month our member moved into his new permanent home in his local neighbourhood. He explained how he has settled into his new home:
I’m happy now because I’m living in my own home, it’s good for me, I’m happy. I’m relaxed now because I was in pain, I was stressed when I was facing eviction, but now I have my own house, I’m relaxed now.
The group is important for me, in all of my problems they helped me, they are like my family. Not just for me, for everyone, it’s important. Thank you, thank you for everyone who helped me. I’m happy for the group, what they did in my life.
We want to send a huge thank you to everyone who has supported our member and our campaign over the last year. Almost 300 letters were sent to Optivo/Southern’s CEOs calling on them to stop the eviction. Social Housing Action Campaign featured an article on the case and pledged their support. HASL members and supporters also sent hundreds of tweets to Optivo/Southern and provided vital court support to stop the possession order back in February this year.
Since March 2022 our member had been living with the threat of eviction and homelessness after Optivo /Southern housing served him with a section 21 eviction notice saying that the property where he had lived for the last 7 years “is no longer used for the Eritrean Community”. Our group and others, including people in London’s Eritrean communities, raised concerns that our member was being subjected to racist treatment by the social landlord.
Alongside campaigning on his case, our member instructed lawyers from GT Stewart solicitors to help him to defend the eviction proceedings. With his lawyers, he defended the possession proceedings on the basis that the section 21 notice amounted to direct discrimination as the cover letter showed that he was being evicted because he was Eritrean. They also argued that the eviction notice amounted to harassment under the Equality Act 2010.
After the defence and counterclaim was filed Optivo/Southern housing entered into settlement negotiations. They did not admit any discrimination but they did agree to re-house our member into local social housing.
It should not have taken a campaign and legal challenge for Optivo /Southern Housing to do the right thing. But when they eventually did, the staff we engaged with were very helpful and supportive showing what housing associations should be about and that the option of re-housing (and not evictions) is best for everyone.
Housing Action Southwark & Lambeth 