Weaverham tenants turfed out after takeover by 'social' landlord

Tenants at the housing scheme in Lake House Close, including an 88-year-old man and woman, were sent ‘no fault’ eviction notices by their new landlord, Cedar Care Group, on Tuesday, March 12.

The brief, two paragraph notice assured residents they could ‘leave anytime within their notice period’, but ‘they must continue to pay their rent’, and threatens the bailiffs if they refuse to budge.  

Cedar Care acquired the properties from another social landlord, Lotus Homes, which went into liquidation in March 2023.

The new owner, which is a not-for-profit community interest company, says the Lake House Close tenants don’t fit its criteria for supported or social housing.

One of the tenants has been in his property for 15 years, while another, a man in his late 80s with heart and kidney failure, can walk no more than 50 yards.

Glen Petch, who has lived in the close for six years, has been told he’ll get help finding temporary accommodation, but says he ‘refuses to go into a hostel’.

The tenants, all of Lake House Close, have been given two months to leave their homes (Image: Mike Amesbury)

The 62-year-old added: “I’m sick with worry. It’s affecting my health and my mental stability.

“It was a total bombshell. We though the eviction notices were some kind of joke at first – though not a very funny one.

“We’ve all paid our rent on time, and there’s no issue with anti-social behaviour. It’s just the new landlord can get more money renting to someone else.

“They can get big government grants for housing ‘desperate’ people, we believe. Well, this has now made me desperate, so where’s the sense in that?”

Another tenant, who’s 88 and has multiple organ failure, hasn’t been told about the impending eviction by his family yet, who say he’s too frail.

His son, Jonathan, who asked for his surname not to be used in case the news gets back to his dad, said: “However legal this is, it’s completely immoral.

“I’ve no idea what we’ll do if this goes ahead.

“Dad can’t walk more than 50 yards. He moved here from Manchester six years ago be closer to me. He can still live relatively independently, but that’s only because he’s so close to his family.

“We can’t find anywhere appropriate to move him to now. We’re at a total loss if this goes ahead.

“The company who’s evicting him is essential a care company, and a community interest company.

“As far as we can tell, they’re turfing out the current tenants so they can move in more vulnerable people as the government will pay them an extra £300 to £400 a month to house them.”

Weaver Vale MP, Mike Amesbury, has visited the tenants and offered his full support, and has challenged Cedar Care directly.

Mike said: “It’s disgusting and immoral the way people have been treated, and by a social enterprise which has the word ‘care’ in its name.

“Completely uncaring is more accurate.

“I’m demanding the company withdraws these Section 21 notices immediately.

“While Section 21 notices are currently lawful, they are totally unethical and inhuman.

“The opposition’s position is within the first 100 days of government, we will introduce legislation to abolish no fault evictions.”

Cedar Care have responded to Mike’s concerns, suggesting it might be possible to have some of the more vulnerable tenants re-classified under its criteria, meaning Cheshire West and Chester Council will pay more rent for them.

They also confirmed they plan to re-let the properties once the current tenants have been evicted.

A spokesman said: “We acquired the subjected property in March 2023, and discovered the site was not being used for its intended purpose of providing social or supported housing by the previous provider.

“Noting this utilisation is the key criterion for the block’s funding, we had to undertake a decant program here.

“After doing the required remedial refurbs, we can re-let it to support eligible tenants.

“We do realise a few tenants are vulnerable considering their old age.

“We will approach Cheshire West and Chester Council for approval on the retention of these residents under the supported housing provision.”

Cedar Care Group have been asked to comment.