106 JACK fm
- give us a bell on 01438 422106
- text us on 80010 starting your message 'jack'
- add JACK on facebook
- tweet tweet @106jack
AUDIO: Illegal Social Housing Tenants Causing Delays To Welwyn Hatfield's Waiting List
(ABOVE: Simone Russell is Welwyn Hatfield Community Housing Trust's Director of Operations)Illegal council house occupants are preventing people in need from being housed in Welwyn Hatfield...
Around 4000 residents are thought to be waiting longer because of the offenders.
That's according to Welwyn Hatfield Community Housing Trust who've told JACK fm only up to 600 homes are becoming available every year.
The trust's comments come after the eviction of Abdeslam Agdour who failed to make regular payments for a property in Hatfield.
His situation had previously changed and he was no longer entitled to live in that particular property.
The Housing Trust's Simone Russell explains who the 48 year old's illegal tenancy was really affecting: "Families who don't have a permanent settled home, people that are coming out of care, or even people that are suffering domestic violence, so we do have a high pressure on our homes and we do have a responsibility to make sure that the homes that we have are lived in by the people that need them the most."
"Running an organisation such as this, the income that we get from rents is used to provide services, so every penny that we lose in cases like this is money that could be better spent on other things."
Mr Agdour was ordered by County Court Judgement to pay back all money he owes to the council as well as over £11,000 in costs.
Paul Wren, Chair of the Trust's Management Board added: "Although it is always a last resort, this case demonstrates that the Trust and the council will pursue firm action against those that consistently breach the terms of their tenancy."
AUDIO: Hear more from The Housing Trust's Simone Russell in the audio player below...
That's according to Welwyn Hatfield Community Housing Trust who've told JACK fm only up to 600 homes are becoming available every year.
The trust's comments come after the eviction of Abdeslam Agdour who failed to make regular payments for a property in Hatfield.
His situation had previously changed and he was no longer entitled to live in that particular property.
The Housing Trust's Simone Russell explains who the 48 year old's illegal tenancy was really affecting: "Families who don't have a permanent settled home, people that are coming out of care, or even people that are suffering domestic violence, so we do have a high pressure on our homes and we do have a responsibility to make sure that the homes that we have are lived in by the people that need them the most."
"Running an organisation such as this, the income that we get from rents is used to provide services, so every penny that we lose in cases like this is money that could be better spent on other things."
Mr Agdour was ordered by County Court Judgement to pay back all money he owes to the council as well as over £11,000 in costs.
Paul Wren, Chair of the Trust's Management Board added: "Although it is always a last resort, this case demonstrates that the Trust and the council will pursue firm action against those that consistently breach the terms of their tenancy."
AUDIO: Hear more from The Housing Trust's Simone Russell in the audio player below...
More from Local News
