More time for families being evicted

More than a dozen families who face losing their homes have been offered a further six months to find a new place to live - if they face “hardship”. Those affected have been living in former Army houses at the old Howe Barracks site in Canterbury for two years, renting from the Ministry of Defence.

As reported in last week’s Gazette, the eviction notices came as a bolt out of the blue to the families, who say they fear being made homeless or having to move away from the area because they cannot afford private rents.

The 13 properties affected are currently leased to the Ministry of Defence (MOD) from Annington Homes and sub-let. The MOD wants to end the leases and hand them back to the company in March 2021, along with a further six which are already empty.

But it has now offered to extend tenancies for those facing difficulty.

An MOD spokesman said: “We are aware of the issues facing tenants and where, in cases of hardship, extra time is required we are willing to extend tenancies by up to a further six months through to September 2021 on a case by case basis. Tenants who have been served notice are being informed.” Gayle Shearwood and her postman husband Mark, who have a two-year-old and live in Albuhera Square, have mixed views about the extension.

“It gets us through Christmas but we are still in a position of worry because we know we have still got to get out,” Mrs Shearwood said.

“We will probably be worse off next year because jobs are not great at the moment. It’s just prolonging the inevitable. The residents’ plight has been taken on by Labour city councillor Dave Wilson, who says it is outrageous the families face being turfed out of their homes. Reacting to the extension, he said: “They haven’t defined what they mean by hardship, but at least it is a first sign of movement.”

It is not yet clear what Annington will do with the properties when they are returned.