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SALFORD BEDROOM TAX FIRST BARBARIC EVICTION
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Star date: 9th April 2014
CITY WEST HOUSING TO EVICT FIRST SALFORD TENANT
"When it comes to millionaires like Maria Miller who's got two houses, it's one law, but when it comes to people like Vicky and those who live in Salford it's another law…"
City West Housing Trust is set to evict the first Bedroom Tax victim in Salford tomorrow at noon. Vicky, who lives in Walkden, has a second bedroom for when her 15 year old daughter stays and cannot pay rent arrears.
The Greater Manchester Anti Bedroom Tax Federation has called for people to assemble outside Vicky's house tomorrow from 11am "to stop this cruel eviction".
Full details here… |
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Vicky is a City West Housing Trust tenant who lives in Walkden and has a second bedroom for when her 15 year old daughter stays. She's lived there for 14 years but had some outstanding rent arrears that were accrued. Her current £3,375.83 arrears, we understand, includes Bedroom Tax debts.
Vicky is what most would call a `vulnerable person' – and the code of good practice for landlords and bailiffs states that vulnerable people like Vicky should not be evicted.
Apparently, City West did not inform Vicky that she could apply for Discretionary Housing Payments to cover the extra rent which is the result of the Bedroom Tax.
Indeed, as revealed in the Salford Star four days ago, Salford City Council is predicting a £650,000 underspend in its Discretionary Support Scheme (a separate fund from Discretionary Housing Payments) for financial emergencies such as this (see previous Salford Star article – click here).
Nevertheless, City West Housing is sending bailiffs around to Vicky's house tomorrow (Thursday) at noon to evict her, following a court case today at which she had no legal representation…
"Everything they said in court just went over my head" Vicky said outside the Civil Justice Centre in Manchester "I could not make out what was going on in court."
Greater Manchester Anti Bedroom Tax Federation has called a rally to Stop the Eviction of Vicky from her home in Salford!
"When it comes to millionaires like Maria Miller who's got two houses, it's one law, but when it comes to people like Vicky and those who live in Salford it's another law – and that is to go straight to court to get you evicted just for a few thousand pounds arrears" Mark Krantz from the Greater Manchester Anti Bedroom Tax Federation told Salford Star this afternoon.
"The Bedroom Tax is a cruel evil tax" he added "And we will be assembling outside Vicky's house tomorrow to make that she is not evicted onto the street and into destitution."
A statement on City West's website reads: "Our aim is to help you live as independently and happily as possible. This is why we're always happy to help and support you, whatever it is you need. City West are dedicated to developing and delivering services that support our most vulnerable customers to maintain their independence and sustain their tenancies."
In a press release issued this afternoon, the Greater Manchester Anti Bedroom Tax Federation stated that "City West told Vicky that she should go to homeless families at Salford Council to get re housed after being evicted."
* The Salford Star has asked City West Housing Trust for a statement. As soon as the Trust responds it will be added to this article (see update for statement)
UPDATE - 10th April
Four week reprieve for Salford Bedroom Tax Eviction - click here
See also Salford Star report on the United Nations in Geneva condemning Bedroom Tax - click here
City West Office Invaded by Anti Bedroom Tax Campaigners - click here
For further details see www.nobedroomtax.co.uk
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andy wrote
at 07:51:29 on 13 April 2014 |
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| I want to know why Salford Council have let it get as far as it has.
surely there must be some sort of council policy in place for things like this not happen |
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kenneth mckelvey wrote
at 10:53:48 on 11 April 2014 |
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| I read in the morning paper 87,000 People are now waiting for the bailiffs over unpaid Bedroom and Council Tax What a mess the UK is in / Massive rises for the politicians Royals Bankers City Spivs etc Cuts and More cuts for the sick old and unemployed/ Is this the Best this filth can do/ It is back to the 80Tys the 1880tys Same old tory propaganda |
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hahaha wrote
at 10:52:25 on 11 April 2014 |
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| Vicky deserves everything she has got only a quarter of this debt is down to bedroom tax this is a result of not answering the door to talk to the council when they have come round to help her with her debt |
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Mr alan wrote
at 21:04:13 on 10 April 2014 |
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| I have read comments above. Yes there are morons about those that talk shit. The bedroom tax is evil .i don't care if you have a mortgage or not you should be aware this could be you next. It only takes a one slip and you could end up on benifit. It does not matter how rich you are or how many years you have worked. Just think before you engage the mouth. The conservatives hate the working class and enjoy there suffering. |
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Nita Chudasama wrote
at 14:37:52 on 10 April 2014 |
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| I'd like David Cameron, his colleages and thier families to live on welfare benifits in a council or rented properties and see how they would be able to survive and apply for normal jobs like normal people and I hope one day their family members face evictions. How can people downsize???? Its disgusting and immoral that Vicky had no legal or any kind of representation. Why did everyone fail her to provide information such as DHP it is a violation of her human rights. Maria Miller should be behind bars yet she walks away scot free as many other politicians has and Vicky has faced court and an eviction. |
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Haha wrote
at 14:37:20 on 10 April 2014 |
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| Her daughter lives full time with her dad and has done for around 10 months!!!!!!!!!!! |
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Martin wrote
at 14:37:08 on 10 April 2014 |
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| The numbers don't add up; firstly, the "bedroom tax" isn't actually a tax - it's a reduction in Housing Benefit based on a number of unoccupied rooms. If one room is unoccupied, HB is reduced by 14%; there is an upper limit on housing benefit that can be claimed for a two bedroom property, and that's £290/week (assuming full occupancy) - this translates *at the very most* to Vicky having her benefits reduced by a grand total of £40.60/week IF she'd been receiving the highest rate of HB.
Over the twelve months that the new laws have been in place, that would have meany Vicky would have had to find an extra £2111.20 *at the very most* to make up any shortfall between her housing benefit payment and the rent she was due to pay. Remember, the benefits changes DO NOT MEAN that her rent was INCREASED by 14% - Vicky would have been paid her Housing Benefit, and it was her responsibility to pay it to the housing association.
A quick search of *private* rentals in the area Vicky lives show rents available from £83/week to £196/week - so lets assume an average of £140/week. The rent arrears due would mean Vicky hadn't paid rent for TWENTY FOUR weeks. That would also mean her 14% housing benefit reduction would only be £19.60 per week.
The question that has to be asked is this: what was Vicky doing with the housing benefit money she was paid during that time? The 14% reduction in benefit would account for only £1,019.20 of the £3,375 owed, assuming Vicky lives in an average two bedroom property in Salford.
Like I said, the numbers don't add up. |
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bluecheese wrote
at 12:25:20 on 10 April 2014 |
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| In the case of The Lady in Discretion due to be evicted due to arrears and bedroom tax. As the Council has stated she could have claimed housing payments, there will be no need to evict the lady as there would not be such extensive arrears. If the Council had informed the person then this would not be happening and should not be happening in today's society. |
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Reg wrote
at 12:25:16 on 10 April 2014 |
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| This is unacceptable .
Vicky must not be evicted by city west's thugs.
The clueless council must get their greedy snouts out of the taxpayers trough and assist Vicky with the discretionary Support Scheme immediately . |
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julie wrote
at 12:24:59 on 10 April 2014 |
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| i do feel for this woman , although the bedroom tax over this period is only around £800 where is the arrears of over £3000 came from , do they pay the rent directly to her , because if its paid to the landlord i cant understand how its got that high ,also , if she has her daughter there then the bedroom is not a "spare" room as she sleeps in it ,lot more to this case , hope she can get the eviction overturned with the protesters help ,joe oenil , just a point on your ststement tho , this TORY government is cutting the money given to the council forcing them to close vital services, thats where the problem lies , |
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jeffrey davies wrote
at 12:24:52 on 10 April 2014 |
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| I cry I sad but not this not this it seems the world is gone mad why greed isn't ours but theirs caused by them now we suffer for it yet tables empty is theirs nah full but to tax people on bedrooms waiting for that breathmeter were they charge you for the air you breath not this you say its coming unless you find a true labour person but until those 99percent wake up to the fact they been lied to then more the same jeff3 |
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Geoff wrote
at 12:24:07 on 10 April 2014 |
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| I don't understand peoples mentality.
With the exception of a couple of commentors who have done 2 minutes research into how much an extra bedroom would cost and have come to the realisation that this lady has clearly not been paying her rent for quite some time, The rest think this is "Barbaric".
This has nothing to do with bedroom tax, I'll stop paying my mortgage shall I, will you all turn up to stop my eviction?
Am I surrounded by morons? |
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john wrote
at 12:23:25 on 10 April 2014 |
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| All could be avoided if housing benefit was paid direct to the landlord. this woman has arrears of over 3 grand, very little of this has anything to do with bedroom tax, what has she spent her benefit on\\\\\\\\\/ |
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Roy wrote
at 12:23:13 on 10 April 2014 |
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| Re the points above concerning arrears, this may be a case where the landlord has added court costs to the tenant's arrears for the final amount due to them. Bailiffs are certainly not cheap. |
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Kwame P. Aboagye wrote
at 12:23:04 on 10 April 2014 |
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| None should be force by assholes, who are getting them to pay such a ridiculous policy, for a nasty, selfish and bullying far-right elite who are just simply so grotesquely ignorant to the core.
Why should anyone have to fork out to pay for their own maternally private room where they sleep or do other matters naturally? It just stinks like hell.
My advice to anyone not just in Manchester, but wherever they are in the country, don't pay for this shit, so that these thieves can take advantage out of you. |
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Mrs Helen Gibson wrote
at 10:03:46 on 10 April 2014 |
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| To whom it may concern
This poor lady needs your support not eviction , as a beaved parent myself I know how devastating that can be on someone's life without any thing else. It takes over every second of your thoughts, it makes it hard to concentrate , you forget.
things,
I even forget to pick my handbag up these days.
I'm not a council tenant and own my house out right.
I'm lucky.
I had depression for 5 yrs after loosing my son to cancer , I struggled to make ends meet just to find my bill money and eat every day ,I know I don't know the ins and outs of this lady's life , but ghost I know making her loose her home this way will only add heartache to her misery she deals with every day.
Please find her help through charities who help with this rather than throw her on the streets.
This could prove fatal for someone like her, beleive me I've been that low too , don't have that on your conscience , it's too late if it happens.
Heken Gibson |
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jo wrote
at 10:03:26 on 10 April 2014 |
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| Poor woman. Heartless and cruel. However its impossible for her to have over 3k of rent arrears from bedroom tax alone |
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Hilda Jones wrote
at 10:03:17 on 10 April 2014 |
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| This states that the lady is £3375 in arrears but 1 bedroom under occupied would surely only equate to approximately £800 at the most as it's only 14% of the weekly rent which I'm guessing is no more than £100 per week. I think someone hasn't been paying the rent at all or had arrears prior to bedroom tax coming into force. |
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bob wrote
at 10:02:47 on 10 April 2014 |
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| I wonder if City West used the same illegal court summons that Salford council have been using for years for council tax. They print and administer the case them selves and hire the court and officials for the day to trash peoples rights and carry out a rubber stamping exercises. All very illegal and it is a criminal offence. Please check the court summons if it directs you to contact city west its not worth the paper it was printed on. same goes for the council tax summons
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angela smith wrote
at 10:02:37 on 10 April 2014 |
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| non payment of bedroom tax would only result in arrears of approx £800 based on a weekly rent of £100 having one spare room. clearly tenant has arrears besides the bedroom tax hence the eviction. this story is not as one sided as its making out. |
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pauline radford wrote
at 08:13:15 on 10 April 2014 |
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| utterly disgusting how can treat this lady like this she must be beside herself with worry if i didnot live so far i would be there my thoughts are with you vicky god bless you xxxx |
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Frank Cosgrove. wrote
at 08:13:07 on 10 April 2014 |
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| City West are a heartless disgrace and Salford Council are equally culpable as other councils have found ways around this awful task. |
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Eileen wrote
at 08:12:35 on 10 April 2014 |
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| Please dont allow this, omittigated circumstances surely!!! |
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Eileen Muephy wrote
at 08:12:27 on 10 April 2014 |
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| Barbaric ...beyond words ! |
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Sarah Pipkin wrote
at 08:12:18 on 10 April 2014 |
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| Something needs to change and fast. If you're not getting support or financial aid, the automatic assumption is that you don't need it. No one seems to stop and ask if you're even aware of what is available. The most vulnerable and desperate members of the community are often unaware of what help they can obtain and where to go for appropriate advice, or they may just not be mentally and/or physically well enough to tackle the torturous claims system. |
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wrote
at 08:11:39 on 10 April 2014 |
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| We need a good turnout to support Vicky .
A peaceful demo to show our utter contempt for the tory filth's bedroom tax , city west , the bailiff thugs , and the grossly inept council .
We must show these bastards that we are taking no more shite .
NO MORE . |
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joe oenill wrote
at 08:11:25 on 10 April 2014 |
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| I would like to ask how do her Councillors stand on the issue? and how will she be effected with the cuts from a Labour council on the very services set up to help people like herself? and what's next in law she must be given some where to live, by whom more than likely the same company who evicts her, they of course will get a higher premium for the process why when what we should be doing as a council is to help people like her. This city is crumbling a system set up to protect the weak and the ill is falling apart and nothing being voiced from this Cities Labour leadership perhaps the Mayor could offer the loan of his campervan!! I feel disgusted to read the article and ashamed to say my city could do this in 2014 |
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Paul wrote
at 08:11:06 on 10 April 2014 |
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| Remember you have to stand for re-election. People will NOT forget what you have done and what you are trying to do. You soulless bastards |
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janina wrote
at 22:27:12 on 09 April 2014 |
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| Absolutely disgusting. Many landlords are helping their tenants to appeal and have encouraged tenants to apply for dhp. Vulnerable bereaved mum , no legal representation at court , disgusting. |
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