Priced Out: Life on the Edge of Regeneration

Tenant: My landlord decided to evict me and my son so she could sell my flat quickly. I'd been there 10 years. I don't even want to think about how much rent I paid her. Every year the rent went up. By the end of that 10 years I was completely maxed out. Most months, after paying the rent, there was not much left. I wouldn't mind, but it's not like the flat was luxury living. Damp everywhere, general disrepair. But it was home. All my son's firsts were in that flat. First smile, first tooth, first steps, first day of school. A whole decade of life in the walls of that flat… along with the damp. But turns out none of that mattered when the landlord wanted it back. Our home was just her property.  I rang round, trying to find another place. Tenant (on the phone): Hi there, I wonder if you can help. Do you have any two bedroom properties available? My budget? Yeah, I'm currently in private rented and I pay 1,600 a month. Oh, okay, yeah, maybe I can stretch to a bit  -  I am working, yeah. I get some universal credit to top it. Oh, okay, no benefits. Okay, okay, thank you.  Hi there, I wonder if you can help. Do you have any two bedroom properties available? …1,600 a month, so I'm looking for something - What’s funny? I can maybe stretch to a bit more. Can you tell me what I'd need? Month's rent, deposit, okay, credit checks, bank statements. Can you give me an idea of what you're looking for? So you're looking for me to earn 2.5 times the amount of the yearly rent… on a property that's 2,000 a month. That's like 60 grand a year.  Hi there, do you have any two bedroom properties available?  Hi there, do you have any two bedroom properties available?  No, my bank statements won’t show that. No, I don't have a partner. It's just my income. I wonder if you can help.  Okay, thank you.  Hi there, I wonder if you can help. Hi there, hi there, hi there, hi there, hi there.  Hi there. I wonder if you can help. Hi there. I wonder if you can help. Do you have any two bedroom properties available?  Tenant: I went to the council. They assigned me a caseworker.  (in the housing office) Caseworker: This is what the landlord gave you? This is a wrong eviction notice. It's basically not legal. Just sit tight. They'll take you to court. You'll win. It'll buy you a few more months.  ​ Tenant: I walked into the court. It was a woman judge and I thought, she's a woman. She'll understand. Justice will prevail. Just like Judge Judy.  I spoke. My landlord's lawyer spoke. And then, as I sat in the courtroom alone, the judge looked down her nose at me and sneered:  Judge: You’re a single mother. You'll get given a council flat. Tenant: The eviction order, although the judge conceded that it was illegally issued, was upheld. My son and I lost our home and I was also forced to pay the court costs.  (back in the housing office) Tenant: I don't get it. How can this have happened?  Caseworker: Well, the law says you should have won. But I'm sorry to say this, and I'm not saying this is what happened, but I've heard cases of landlords paying off the judges.  Tenant: But that's not justice. Caseworker: Well, no it isn't. But unless you can prove that was what happened, you are pretty powerless.  Tenant: So can you help me prove it? Can someone get involved from the legal team or something?  Caseworker: Like I said, unless you can prove that was what happened, you are powerless. Tenant: But you told me to go to court. And now I also have the court costs to pay as well.  Caseworker: Yes, I know. Tenant: You know? Is that it? That's not helpful.  Caseworker: I know.  Tenant: Okay, so what happens now? The judge said I'll be given a council flat. Caseworker: Hmm. You are a priority case, but there's over 30,000 people on this housing list in this borough, so realistically you'll probably have a wait of approximately 25 years for a council flat. Meantime, wait in for the bailiffs, you'll be evicted, then you'll come here and we'll see what we can do. Tenant: But - but - what?  Caseworker: I know.  Tenant: Afterwards, I found out that my landlord never sold the flat. She leased it to the council for use as temporary accommodation. I never watched Judge Judy again.