NO COUNCIL tenants in Ellesmere Port and Neston have been evicted due to ‘bedroom tax’ related rent arrears, councillors heard.
The issue was raised in a recently published council question by Labour leader Cllr Justin Madders (Ellesmere Port Town).
Cllr Madders directed his question to the borough’s growth and innovation chief Cllr Herbert Manley (Con) who is responsible for the housing stock in the former district council area.
Cllr Madders asked Cllr Manley if he believed ‘a tenant facing possession proceedings due to rent arrears built up solely as a result of the ‘bedroom tax’ should be evicted if they have not been offered a smaller property’.
Cllr Manley insisted that all registered providers operating in the borough had ‘income management procedures’ in place which included a number of early triggers and support arrangements.
“The aim is to create sustainable tenancies and ensure that eviction is a last resort.
“Ultimately, each case is considered on its own merit,” he said.
Steps were taken to help new tenants including an income and expenditure assessment to help ensure they could afford the rent payment.
Housing allocations were made to help minimise the impact of the under-occupation deductions on new tenants and there was an eviction protocol in place across all the registered providers in he borough.
“Every household is different and the providers will consider each case of rent arrears on its own merits, taking into account the individual circumstances of the tenant.
“Eviction is always a last resort,” Cllr Manley said.
Cllr Madders said: “The question is whether Cllr Manley himself believes tenants should be evicted in the circumstances set out in the question.
“The answer does not say what his opinion is.”
“My personal view is that we have a system in place by all registered providers to ensure that the tenant’s rights are upheld at all times,” replied Cllr Manley.
“All procedures should be followed and evaluated before any eviction notice is issued.
“To my knowledge there has been no procedure towards eviction notices by the provider to the Ellesmere Port and Neston tenants up to this date.”
