Workers Revolutionary Party - GUINNESS TENANTS HALT EVICTION

The News Line: News Friday, 20 February 2015 GUINNESS TENANTS HALT EVICTION

Guinness Trust tenants rally outside the office of the Trust and celebrate the halting of an eviction

GUINNESS Trust tenants were celebrating a victory as the planned eviction timed for 10am yesterday morning was halted by a court hearing that ruled that Guinness Trust had no right to evict them.

About sixty Guinness Trust tenants and their supporters joined a lobby outside the office of Guinness Trust on Loughborough Park Estate in Brixton yesterday morning.

Arinola Adefuwa, who was to be evicted with her family told News Line: ‘I went yesterday with my daughter to court. The judge told us that Guinness had no right to evict us.

‘Then Guinness said that the letter to evict us had been sent by mistake.’

Zina Kada, another tenant said: ‘I am happy that my neighbour was not evicted.

‘We are still waiting to see what happens to all the “short hold” tenants. They have to rehouse us here. Our kids were born here.’

Grace Lally from Unite told assembled tenants and supporters: ‘We will fight on until every Assured Short Hold (AST) tenant has been given a place to live on this estate.’

The protesters were shouting: ‘Guinness, Guinness hear us say! ASTs are here to stay!’

All Assured Short Hold tenants have been told they have to leave by April.

Guinness Trust told them to go to Lambeth Council, but Lambeth Council told them that they would only deal with them after they have become homeless, with no guarantee that they would be housed in the local area.

One of the empty flats has been occupied since last weekend in an attempt to get more support for the tenants.