20/11/2009 : Tenant with over £23,000 rent arrears evicted

A council tenant who ran up rent arrears on two council properties was finally evicted on Friday (20 November 2009).

Elcena Jeffers of Coles Green Road, Cricklewood, ran up arrears of £23,227.
Ms Jeffers was given a transfer from a council property in South Kilburn to a new home in Cricklewood in 2005. Although she had signed the tenancy for the property in Cricklewood she refused to hand in the keys for the South Kilburn property for another two years.

Brent Housing Partnership (BHP) was forced to take her to court to regain lawful possession of the South Kilburn property, and she was evicted from that property in August 2007. By the time she finally moved into her new home in Cricklewood (two years after signing the tenancy) the arrears were already in excess of £10,000. Another £5304 was transferred from the South Kilburn property.

Since taking up occupation in November 2007 no rent payments have been made and Ms Jeffers ran up a further £7,923 in arrears. After several court hearings spanning many months a court order was finally granted in June 2009.

Ms Jeffers employed more delaying tactics by applying for Stays of Execution locally, in the High Court and Court of Appeal, and more latterly a judicial review. Her last application to postpone the eviction was refused on Thursday 19 November 2009 and she was evicted at 10:00am on Friday 20 November.

Sandra Royer, Director of Housing Management at BHP said: "BHP will work with tenants who are suffering genuine financial hardship to support and assist them in claiming all benefits to which they may be entitled so that they can retain their tenancies. However, we will always take firm action against those tenants who wilfully withhold rent.