A call for justice has been made for tenants in Reading who have suffered “broken promise after broken promise.”
Homes for Reading was a company founded by Reading Borough Council in 2016, allowing it to act as a private landlord for tenants paying market rental rates.
Tenants claimed that they were promised long-term stability when they moved in.
However, the council’s Labour administration chose to close down the company, evict tenants and absorb the 101 Homes for Reading properties into its housing stock.
In order for that to happen, the council has to evict the tenants first.
That decision was made despite a Change.org petition urging the council to reconsider receiving 1,258 signatures.
Simon, one of the affected tenants, said: “When we moved into these houses we were all promised long-term leases.
“It was even in the Homes For Reading literature: ‘A home for as long as you want it’.
“We didn’t think for one second that we’d be put in the dire position that we now find ourselves in, through no fault of our own. It’s like having the rug pulled from underneath you”
The council’s Labour administration justified the decision by arguing that the 101 properties will be added to the council’s social housing stock.
This allows the council to provide housing to people on its homeless register and key workers in the education sector and emergency services.
However, both Raven Lee, who started the Change.org petition, and his wife Rowan Perry-Lee are key workers in the education sector.
Now the council is being urged to reverse the decision and support the tenants by the Reading Liberal Democrats.
Councillor Meri O’Connell (Liberal Democrats, Tilehurst) said: “Homes for Reading tenants have suffered from broken promise after broken promise.
“It’s about time that the Labour-run council put it right.”
It has also been claimed that tenants facing evictions have had ‘inadequate’ support provided, which has often been limited to over the phone despite requests for in-person meetings.
Cllr O’Connell will ask the Labour administration to reconsider the decision to evict current tenants and take vacant possession, and improve the support services offered to all current tenants by offering face-to-face meetings with council staff.
The question will be asked at a full council meeting on Tuesday, June 24.
It is expected that Matt Yeo (Labour, Caversham), lead councillor for housing, will answer the question.
