Islington News: Rosalyn Black | Tenant | Evicted | Holloway | Circle 33

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Islington Tribune - by PETER GRUNER
Published: 07 November 2008

Rosalyn Black surrounded by boxes of her belongings

Evicted tenant fights on to clear her name

Claim that arrears warning letters never arrived backed by mail deliveries complaints

VOLUNTARY worker Rosalyn Black, left homeless for two weeks when she was evicted from her Holloway flat, vowed this week to continue to fight for justice.
Ms Black’s claims that she never received urgent letters warning her that she was in rent arrears have been backed up by neighbours who have complained about post going missing.
A High Court judge ordered Circle 33 housing association to return the flat to Ms Black, 41, last week until a proper hearing can be held.
Ms Black – who has won backing from Islington North Labour MP Jeremy Corbyn and many friends and colleagues – was evicted from her flat in Grenville Road for non-payment of £2,000 back rent.
She maintained there had been a mistake over her housing benefits and that she had offered to pay half of what she owed.
But she also said that she did not receive important letters warning her about the arrears and possible court action until it was too late.
Ms Black’s claims were supported this week by Claudette Barnes, who runs Timbuktu adventure playground, also in Grenville Road, where Ms Black does voluntary work.
Ms Barnes said: “I’ve known Rosalyn for 15 years and she is a very good woman. She wouldn’t deliberately go into arrears.
“There is a huge problem with letters going missing in this area. I’ve complained about it regularly to the Post Office but nothing has been done.
“Part of the problem is that Granville Road is confused with Grenville Road and post workers just don’t bother to read the addresses.”
Ms Black, who has many of her possessions still packed into 40 boxes, said that only tenants who had deliberately gone out of their way to avoid paying rent should be evicted.
She added: “Eviction should be the last resort. After they made me homeless bailiffs took everything away. All my clothes and furniture and food. They even took my soap and toilet paper.
“Thankfully, I had friends I could stay with for two weeks. Otherwise I would have been on the streets.”
Mr Corbyn is to ask Circle 33 how the rent arrears were allowed to build up and why the housing association pursued eviction over a relatively small amount of money.
He said: “It’s absolutely loopy. This is a good person who does a lot of work in the community. I understand she offered to pay £1,000 towards her arrears and then pay off the rest over a longer period.
“That seems fair enough to me. I’ve put that to Circle 33. She’s been badly treated.
“I’m very disappointed with the housing association.”

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