Wiltshire family living in van welcomes rental reforms

Families who have gone through no-fault evictions have welcomed the rent reforms.

The Brady family who live in Pewsey Vale in Wiltshire were involved in two no-fault evictions, also known as section 21 eviction notices, in the last two years.

After being forced to leave their home, they have now resorted to living out of their truck.

They are welcoming a planned ban on no-fault evictions under new legislation being tabled in Parliament.

Speaking to BBC West, Brady said: “At the moment we are camped in a campsite with a washing machine, a shower and it has a small play park for the children.”

Mr Brady is a gardener, his wife also works full time and the couple run a social enterprise in Pewsey Vale.

The family was evicted from a property they had lived in for 15 years during the pandemic and couldn’t find a place to live, so they ended up moving into the van.

“It’s the most stressful time of my life knowing we don’t have bricks and mortar to move into,” Brady said.

The family can now bid on the council houses when they become available, but so far everything has been at least an hour away from where they live.

Brady said the family needed to stay in the Pewsey Vale or Marlborough area because that’s where their business network is and where their children are at school.

“There is a housing crisis and there are reasons behind it: you can use whatever excuse you want, but it is a political decision,” Brady added.

“It was a political decision not to build enough houses, it was a political decision to sell the social housing stock.”

Annalisa Jackson lives in a rented house with her children in Swindon, she received a section 21 eviction notice on May 13.

“I’ve lived here for eight years and we never stopped paying the rent,” Ms. Jackson said.

When separated from her husband, Ms. Jackson told the landlord that she was a sole tenant.

She said: “They told me no, that I couldn’t stay in the house and that they were going to evict me.

“I guess it’s so she can get me and the kids out so she can pay the rent.”

Jackson said it would be great if no-fault evictions were banned, but added: “I don’t know how realistic it really is, there’s always someone who can make up a reason.”

Councilor Phil Alford, a member of the housing cabinet at Wiltshire Council, said: “We are a large county and it is not possible to have temporary accommodation provision in every town or parish within the Wiltshire area.

“We would always encourage families to actively look to the private sector for an alternative to social housing.”

Chris Norris, of the National Residential Owners Associations, told the BBC that he welcomes parts of the bill that are being tabled in Parliament, but says that owners will need to be sure they will be able to repossess the properties as quickly as possible. possible.