CHAC prevents eviction of pensioner
CHAC Case study
Evie’s story
Evie was a retired, single Council tenant aged 72 with rent arrears totalling almost £3,000. Her housing benefit did not cover all her rent so there was a weekly rent shortfall of £36. But neither the rent or rent shortfall had been paid since Evie moved in to her Council flat.
The Council tried to contact Evie about her rent arrears without success and had received reports that she was not living in her flat. A Notice of Seeking Possession was served, and a date secured for a court hearing.
How CHAC helped
Evie contacted us by telephone but sounded confused. She couldn’t remember her telephone number and then ended the call unexpectedly. The Council also contacted us to ask if we could help Evie as they were going to ask the Judge for an outright possession order at the court hearing.
The Council gave us Evie’s address and telephone number but although we wrote to her, rang her and texted her, we got no response. Fortunately, Evie had a social worker who contacted us and agreed to bring her in to see us. Whilst they were with us, we liaised with the Council’s Housing Department.
Evie’s state pension and pension credit totalled £182 per week. She was also getting a weekly Personal Independence Payment (PIP) of £61. After working through her budget carefully, we determined Evie could afford to pay a weekly rent of £60. This would pay off both her rent shortfall and rent arrears every week, clearing all her rent arrears in two years.
We put this proposal to the Council who accepted it on condition Evie made weekly rent payments of £60 prior to her court hearing. If Evie’s weekly payments were made, the Council also agreed to seek a suspended possession order at the forthcoming court hearing instead of an outright eviction order.
The outcome
To ensure Evie’s rent would be paid, we accompanied Evie to her bank and set up a standing order for £60 to be sent to the Council each Monday, the day on which both her pension and pension credit were received.
We also accompanied Evie to court. As there was no defence to the suspended possession order, and as this was agreed by all parties, the Judge made the order. The Council also successfully applied for court costs of £424. However, Evie was not evicted and has continued to pay off her rent arrears by £24 every week.