Horsham residents left homeless: HDC responds to ‘disappointing’ decision

Horsham Sanctuary Housing tenants have been given notices by the association and been told to leave. SR1510451. Pic Steve Robards SUS-150518-143927001

Angry residents in Eady Close, Horsham, have been left ‘frustrated’ and ‘outraged’ after receiving letters from Sanctuary Housing stating their tenancies were up and were not going to be renewed.

The association will be turning the current properties into social housing and as a result have decided not to extend the tenancies of 16 households in the street.

Residents have been asked to ‘vacate’ their properties within the next two months and those affected have been told to contact their local authority or Citizens Advice Bureau about their re-housing options.

Sanctuary have also said they will be liaising closely with tenants over the coming months to help residents find a new place to live.

The decision was described as ‘absolutely disgraceful’ by current tenants many of whom have lived at the properties for more than six years.

In response to the problem a spokesperson for HDC said the decision was ‘disappointing’ and added it had not been made as a result of a housing policy put forward by the council.

The spokesperson said: “We were disappointed to learn that a number of residents have been issued with eviction notices and we are actively working with them to provide advice and, where appropriate, find suitable accommodation.

“These tenants have been renting their homes privately from Sanctuary Housing Association. We understand that their intention is to make them affordable housing properties and have consequently served eviction notices on their tenants which of course would be distressing for them. This is not as a result of any social housing policy put forward by Horsham District Council but is as a result of a decision by Sanctuary Housing to change the status of their properties to accommodate social housing tenancies.

“Unfortunately we had no prior knowledge from Sanctuary Housing Association that they were going to do this. Had they spoken with us beforehand, we would have worked with them to find housing solutions for those tenants affected by this situation prior to eviction notices being served.”

Horsham residents left homeless: MP ‘very concerned’ by decision

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