Blurred Lines: The Lambeth Residents fighting back against no-fault evictions
by Aneela Aslam
Meet the tenants fighting back against Section-21 (no-fault) eviction notices served by a company whose sole shareholder is Lambeth council.
The council's company Homes for Lambeth (HfL) has been called a "smart loophole" to allow the council to give out section 21 evictions, with local authorities not typically serving these notices which are usually reserved for private landlords to give out.
Lambeth council is a Labour-run council. With the Labour government successfully passing the Renters' Rights Act which will become effective at the beginning of May 2026. The type of eviction notices being served by HfL are section-21s which will banned when the Renters' Rights Act comes into effect. In November 2025, the government said: "In just under six months, private renters will no longer face being served with a Section 21 ‘no-fault’ eviction notice – a practice leaving thousands vulnerable to homelessness every year."
However, tenants across the six estates in the council's Estate Renewal Programme have been served with no-fault evictions. With council documentation planning to vacate all 163 properties across these estates that have been leased as ASTs under HfL.
The estates include, Central Hill, Cressingham Gardens, Fenwick Estate, Kinght's Walk, South Lambeth and Westbury.
The regeneration process which started around 2012 has plagued homeowners on the estate's too who have seen the quality deteriorate over time, and many of their neighbours move out.
Lambeth council has said: “Lambeth is on the front line of a national housing crisis: the number of homeless households supported by the council has increased by 50% in the last two years, and Lambeth is now providing temporary accommodation (TA) for some 4,600 homeless households every night.
With the council maintaining that these tenancies were short hold (ASTs) and the council added: "It’s been clearly established that Homes for Lambeth and not Lambeth Council, were the landlords of these properties."
However, the residents faced with eviction notices have said they are confused about why HfL has decided to evict them for homeless accommodation when the estates they live on contain many vacant homes.
Manuel's Story
Manuel's Story
Manuel did not realise that when he started renting a 3-bed room flat in November 2022. That the landlord's name HfL was actually an acronym: Homes for Lambeth.
A realisation that would cost him two and a half years later.
Manuel de Baaij has lived in London since 2005 and moved to Central Hill Estate with his family in November 2022.
He rented a 3 bedroom flat for £1700 on the estate through HfL thinking it was an indepedent privately-owned company.
His tenancy was an Assured Shorthold tenancy (AST) with HfL that began as a 1-year contract from November 2022 to 2023.
AST’s are the most common type of rental tenancy agreement for private renters in England and Wales.
The rental contract was extended for a year from November 2023 to November 2024.
In November 2024, he was issued with a rolling contract.
However he was issued with a section 21, no-fault eviction notice in June 2025, with a move out date for August 2025. Manuel requested a delay and it was granted.
After receiving his eviction-notice and looking into what HfL stood for and realising it was a council-owned company .
"At that point I got quite angry when I realised we were duped into signing this contract, nobody told us who was behind the contract.
"The council suddenly decided to break our private contracts, and this is something that should never be allowed to happen.”
He has been fighting the council to stay in his flat, with his family, including his two kids aged-14 and 16 and partner.
On the 12th January he appeared in Clerkenwell and Shoreditch county and family court, as a defendant.
The case had been brought by Homes for Lambeth (HfL Living Ltd), with no representative from HfL in attendance and a sole estate-agent as a witness.
The judge deferred the case, due to errors in paperwork submitted by the HfL lawyer.
The father-of-two said: “The councillor responsible for housing told me this was a political decision and we are happy with this decision because we need housing and we are going to continue with this decision and we’re not going to stop.”
“He repeated that same statement about 3 times.”
He added: “So you have an authority that is orchestrating this mass-eviction of AST tenants, who are renting all the properties out to the company at a ridiculous peppercorn rate.”
Manuel is still fighting to bring his case as lead case of all the eviction cases brought by HfL to court.
Despite risking homelessness and having to pay thousands.
He added: “You have the council, who have homelessness duty - who are responsible for helping you, but they're trying to throw you out.”
“So you don’t know where to turn, I have homelessness duty officers, sending me letters saying your eviction is inevitable, with the email chain including emails from other housing officers explaining why we are being thrown out.”
“To me, that is a form of criminal neglect, it borders on the criminal in my opinion, it’s like mafia practices.”
With no-trust left in the council, he added:
“There’s a huge agenda behind it, going back several years. An agenda that has something to do with investment and development companies.”
“Something going on there, no council would go through this effort out of the goodness of their heart.”
Manuel remains in his property, helping other tenants fight their eviction notices, whilst awaiting further battle in court.
“There’s a nefarious purpose behind it.”
Central Hill Estate, Photo Credit: Aneela Aslam
Central Hill Estate, Photo Credit: Aneela Aslam
Central Hill Estate, Photo Credit: Aneela Aslam.
Central Hill Estate, Photo Credit: Aneela Aslam.
Central Hill Estate, Photo Credit: Aneela Aslam.
Central Hill Estate, Photo Credit: Aneela Aslam.
Central Hill Estate, Photo Credit: Aneela Aslam.
Central Hill Estate, Photo Credit: Aneela Aslam.
Central Hill Estate, Photo Credit: Aneela Aslam.
Central Hill Estate, Photo Credit: Aneela Aslam.
Video Credit: Aneela Aslam
Video Credit: Aneela Aslam
View from the top of the road where the entrance to the estate is, Photo Credit: Aneela Aslam
View from the top of the road where the entrance to the estate is, Photo Credit: Aneela Aslam
What are Section-21 Evictions?
Section 21 eviction notices are known as 'no-fault evictions' and are given to tenants to:
Landlord's must give tenants two months notice when giving out section-21 eviction notices.
Council's do not typically give out Section 21 notices because these are reserved for private landlords, and instead councils have a statutory duty to prevent homelessness.
Who is the Landlord?
Is it HfL or Lambeth Council?
Lambeth council maintain that HfL is a separate entity to the council and a private landlord.
One of the tenants applied for a Judicial Review following the council’s decision to evict private renters. This was refused in March 2025, and later a judge dismissed their appeal in June 2025. The judge, Mr Justice Linden ruled that "the council had acted lawfully throughout."
However, council documentation, such as the draft statements of accounts 2024-2025 has stipulated that the council is 100% shareholder of the company.
The Kerslake Review which was completed in 2022. Recommeded that Homes for Lambeth is brought back into the council. The review concluded that the rebuilding of three estates (Central Hill, Fenwick and Cressingham Gardens) was too slow, ands that Homes for Lambeth had only begun construction on a total of 65 homes.
According to companies house HfL was dissolved in 2019. It now operates under HfL Homes Limited.
The number to contact Homes for Lambeth and Lambeth Housing are the same, as stipulated on the council website.
According to The Peoples Audit the council have spent over £15million on legal fees during 2023-2024.
“So you have an authority that is orchestrating this mass-eviction of AST tenants, who are renting all the properties out to the company at a ridiculous peppercorn rate.”
Confusion about "Peppercorn" rent agreement between HfL and Lambeth Council have been criticised by HfL tenants. With some alleging that HfL pay £1 in rent to the council for their properties.
Documents shared with this investigation include a contract from 2023, with Lambeth Council as the Landlord and HfL as the renter, the contract specifies that the rental agreement is at a "peppercorn rate".
In the draft statements of accounts published by Lambeth Cuncil (2024-2025), it is specified that their is a lease premium agreement between the Council and HfL. It also specifies that GLA grants paid to HfL homes in 24-25 were to the value of £3.2 million.
Lambeth's Housing Plan
Lambeth Empty Homes and Voids Action Plan 2024 - 2030 specifies the amount of vacant homes across estates, as well as those the council is looking to make vacant.
"Lambeth’s new Housing Strategy ‘A Place We Can All Call Home’ sets out a series of commitments to help the borough achieve its vision for Lambeth 2030, including to deliver ‘More Affordable Homes’. As well as building and buying more homes, a key part of our strategy is to make better use of Lambeth’s existing homes, including in taking the opportunities that present themselves by vacant and under-occupied homes. "
The council have emphasised that Lambeth is facing a housing crisis and that these properties are necessary to house those impacted by homelessness.
The council has recieved wide-spread criticism for using HfL as a private arms-length body to bypass the loophole of not being able to serve section 21s as a local authority. A move which many residents alleged was a result of a Controversial Report on the Regeneration Estates. The report has not been shared with the public by the Council, despite many attempts to pocure it through the FOIA 2000.
Some of the HfL tenant, campaigners shared that they had noticed some vacant properties becoming filled after raising the issue with the council.
Manuel shared that “Next door to us, there’s a house that’s been empty since we moved in."
He further expressed disappointment that there was a 4-bed that was empty, that the council could move him and his family too.
Past and present tenants have complained about being painted as "Yuppies" looking to steal social housing from tenants.
One campaigner and former tenant on Central Hill Estate, Pete Elliott said: “Taking away homes from social housing tenants and private renters. We’ve got dozens of empty homes on the estate and they can’t be justified evicting anyone until they’ve filled up the other homes.”
The council said: “Lambeth is on the front line of a national housing crisis: the number of homeless households supported by the council has increased by 50% in the last two years, and Lambeth is now providing temporary accommodation (TA) for some 4,600 homeless households every night. The cost of housing homeless families in overnight accommodation has risen to more than £100million a year.
We need to use all means at our disposal to provide the most disadvantaged and vulnerable families in Lambeth with a safe, decent home. We are rightly taking back former council homes - originally lost through Right to Buy - to use for those in urgent need of housing, rather than leaving them to be rented on the private market. "
However, not only HfL tenants have been impacted by the Regeneration Scheme and housing plans of the council, the small number of remaining homeowners on the Regeneration Estates have complained about the impact these policies have had on the place they call home.
One homeowner and chair of Central Hill's Residents Association, Sabine Mairey, 54 said: " I should decide when I move."
She has been a homeowner on Central Hill for over 20 years and alleged that the service charge she pays annually fell from £3000 to £2500, and allegedly the service charge can't be justified as "nothing goes towards the running of the estate." Mairey, also commented how she could only sell back the council, who she said have now stopped buying back homes.
Lambeth's Vacant Homes, Photo Credit: Aneela Aslam.
Lambeth's Vacant Homes, Photo Credit: Aneela Aslam.
Lambeth's Vacant Homes, Photo Credit: Aneela Aslam.
Lambeth's Vacant Homes, Photo Credit: Aneela Aslam.
Lambeth's Vacant Homes, Photo Credit: Aneela Aslam.
Lambeth's Vacant Homes, Photo Credit: Aneela Aslam.
Lambeth's Vacant Homes, Photo Credit: Aneela Aslam.
Lambeth's Vacant Homes, Photo Credit: Aneela Aslam.
Elizabeth's Story
Elizabeth Fraser, 23 moved back home from university last summer and began posting about the evictions of HfL tenants on TikTok in a bid to raise awareness and garner support.
On her TikTok, she has gained over 60,000 views on her most popular video on the matter and 23,000 likes across all her videos.
Elizabeth moved to Cressingham Gardens estate with her parents when she was only a year old. Her mum has owned their property on the estate since 2003.
Cressingham Gardens Estate sits on an idealistic location on the southern edge of Brockwell Park, and much like the other regeneration estates is in a popular sort-after residential area.
She has actively been involved in the council’s involvement on the estate, since the idea of Regeneration came up in the early 2010s.
She said: “But this has been going on since 2014 to 2015, happening since before I can remember because I was so young when it started.”
“It feels like it’s been going on for such a long time, the threat of regeneration and redevelopment has always been hanging over our heads for the past 11-12 years.”
She added that the impact of the council buying-back homes had changed the demographics of Cressingham Gardens.
Elizabeth said: “It’s kind of been pretty stressful for everyone and the demographics of the estate has changed a lot.”
“It feels like a psychological pressure on people. Where a lot of people have just moved out because they just couldn’t deal with it anymore.”
“We used to be and still are a really strong community, but because of the changes and pressure over the last 12 years, a lot of people have moved out and sold their houses.”
“It’s a lot of homeowners who moved, who were key parts of the campaign, but we’re still going.”
She shared how many people who have moved into the homes on the estate were not aware of the council's plans and how they live in fear of demolition.
With there still being many vacant homes on the estate she emphasised how she did not understand or agree with the council's decisions.
She added: “A lot of people have really invested their money and energy into this community, and to lose all that is really detrimental. It doesn’t matter if you're a renter, homeowner or where you’re from everybody here is so welcoming as a community.”
“I think it would completely change the way I live my life, because I’m so used to living here full time.”
“This is where I want to live, I don’t want to live anywhere else. It’s not something that anyone wants to happen.”
Sharing that if the council wanted to take back their home by force, they could issue a Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) which is a legal framework, that allows local authorities to acquire land or property without the owner’s consent for projects that are deemed to be within the public interest.
Artwork made for a neighbour by Elizabeth's mum, Photo Credit: Aneela Aslam.
Artwork made for a neighbour by Elizabeth's mum, Photo Credit: Aneela Aslam.
Elizabeth at Cressingham Gardens, Photo Credit: Aneela Aslam.
Elizabeth at Cressingham Gardens, Photo Credit: Aneela Aslam.
Artwork at Cressingham Gardens, Photo Credit: Aneela Aslam.
Artwork at Cressingham Gardens, Photo Credit: Aneela Aslam.
Park next to Cressingham Gardens, Photo Credit: Aneela Aslam.
Park next to Cressingham Gardens, Photo Credit: Aneela Aslam.
Vacant homes on the estate, Photo Credit: Aneela Aslam.
Vacant homes on the estate, Photo Credit: Aneela Aslam.
Vacant 3-bedroom home on Cressingham Gardens Estate Photo Credit: Aneela Aslam.
Vacant 3-bedroom home on Cressingham Gardens Estate Photo Credit: Aneela Aslam.
Another vacant home on Cressingham Gardens, Photo Credit: Aneela Aslam.
Another vacant home on Cressingham Gardens, Photo Credit: Aneela Aslam.
Elizabeth talking about Cressingham Gardens, Video by Aneela Aslam
Elizabeth talking about Cressingham Gardens, Video by Aneela Aslam
A Labour Monopoly?
The Labour party has held control of Lambeth Council for almost 30 years, which has posed as an issue for residents seeking support from local politicians and their local MPs, who all typically belong to the same party, The Labour Party.
One anonymous HfL tenant, a domestic abuse survivor with special accommodation needs complained about how Labour dominance of Lambeth council, and having a local Labour MP meant they had no where to turn.
Complaining about her MP, Helen Hayes the tenant said: "She's a party line-tier. Not going to do anything that’s going to put her head above the parapet. She’s representing me by ticking the boxes she has to in order to fulfill her role but she’s not fighting for me. And she’s not challenging the council.”
She added: “Lambeth is not being honest with MPs, not giving honest accounts.”
Manuel also said: “We are being evicted by local Labour councillors, there’s no way I’m going to my labour councillor to complain about this.”
Helen Hayes, MP said: “I have campaigned against section 21 evictions since I was first elected to Parliament in 2015 and I am glad that the Government is now taking firm action to abolish them through the Renters’ Rights Act.”
“I have been making vigorous representations to Lambeth Council for several months on behalf of constituents who are assured shorthold tenants of Homes for Lambeth and whose tenancies are being brought to an end. I have argued that the housing needs of these tenants must be carefully assessed and that all residents who the council has a duty to support should be able to stay in their current homes with a new tenancy agreement.”
Pete's Story
Pete Elliott, 57 has been a long-time campaigner for HfL tenants and one of the first people impacted by the current agenda of vacating homes.
In the military for 22-years and after touring all over the world, soon after moving back home after leaving the military, Pete decided to move to London.
He rented at various other places, before moving to Central Hill Estate where he rented a three bedroom flat from an acquaintance who he considered a friend.
He lived in the flat for over 7 years paying £1200 a month, his cousin, cousin’s wife and her child lived with him.
Pete who had helped a few tenants on the estate fight these section 21 notices wasn’t too worried when he received his over three years ago.
He said: “I wasn’t that worried about it because I knew, I should just be able to stay and that they’ll just agree to change over the tenancy agreement, and it’ll be fine.”
“However, when I spoke to my landlord he was told that he wasn’t going to get money from the council until the property was vacant.”
“They changed their policies, for my personal benefit to make sure I had to leave the property along with my family.”
Reluctant to take his friend and long-time landlord to court, Pete decided to not fight the eviction notice.
Pete, also shared how his landlord had been trying to sell the flat for several years but due to the uncertain plans surrounding regeneration it was impossible to sell to anyone other than the council, who specifically wanted the flat vacated.
Pete moved out in March 2023, his cousin and his cousin's family moved to Putney where they pay double the rent for a smaller property.
After being evicted he first stayed on the sofa of a "kind" resident in central-hill for a few months, and is still house sitting to this day.
The 57-year-old commented that Central Hill was his “true community” and home.
Pete further shared how he thought the council had undercut property owners on the regeneration estates, with the flat he used to live in having been sold for just over £300,000.
Additionally, Pete believes the need for him to vacate the property from the council was a reaction to him being a vocal supporter of those he had helped challenge vacation orders.
With him recalling that a year later one HfL officer had “confirmed that they had changed the rules and policies specifically for me”.
He said: “And so you know, the decisions are all made by Lambeth council effectively and then passed on.”
Pete added: “Now I feel bad because they changed the rules for me, and now this is what they're using against HfL tenants to bully them out of their homes as well.”
He expressed his understanding at the fact the council have faced financial difficulty, with over £1 billion in debt and growing interest payments.
However, he commented that this policy was further wasting money with the council having to re-house those who are at risk of homelessness from these eviction orders by HfL.
He said: “Making families homeless, and having to pick up the pieces themselves. So we’re losing out 2 or 3 times over for this. And it just doesn't make sense.”
With the estimated rent for a two bedroom flat in the Gipsy Hill area being around £1700-£2000 pcm, potential demolition and sale of the land could prove lucrative.
And the average rent on a two bedroom flat in Herne Hill, next to Cressingham Gardens being around £2000-2500 pcm, the impact of gentrification and looming demolition has not escaped the attention of those fighting these decisions, like Pete, Manuel and Elizabeth.
“Nothing has deterred them from this agenda of demolishing estates. They’ve had to take a few side roads, but they are still on that course.”
As it stands, 6 options have been presented to residents of Lambeth's regeneration estates by the council:
- Repairs and Maintenance.
- Repairs, Maintenance and Major works.
- Retrofit - Retrofitting homes and making them durable for the next 50 years.
- Infil- fill up the gaps, potentially demolishing community spaces and building housing in these spaces.
- Partial demolition - demolish of a few blocks and adding more dense housing.
- Complete estate demolition and rebuild.
Lambeth Council said:
"Above all, we’ve pointed out on many occasions that these properties were not let as social housing, but let via the private market, to private tenants, at close to market rents, on a short-term basis.
In October 2024, Lambeth Council confirmed proposals to take back homes that were previously rented in the private sector and instead make them available for homeless families in the most urgent need of housing.
These sub-tenants were subsequently informed that their current short-term tenancies would not be renewed when they reached the end of their term, because we needed to make the properties available for homeless families in the most urgent need of housing. Eviction would only be a last resort, if tenants refused to vacate the properties.
A number of sub-tenants challenged this decision to take back these homes, but this was dismissed by a High Court judge last June. Mr Justice Linden refused permission to apply for a judicial review after rejecting both the grounds put forward as a basis for challenging the council’s decision - and found the council had been acting lawfully throughout.
I think above all it needs to be clear that, although Lambeth Council is the registered freehold owner of these properties, these were leased to Homes for Lambeth, who then let them on an Assured Shorthold Tenancy basis. This has been confirmed by court judgments, as set out below. (inc the ruling that “It is plain that [Lambeth Council] is not the Claimant’s landlord. The current lease was entered into between the Claimant as “Tenant” and HFL Living Ltd as “Landlord”.” [Notification of the Judge’s Decision, 19 March 2025, par 2]).
All the details are in the judgments in March and June last year, and in the council report of October 2024.
The council has made clear from the start that we acknowledged and respected the position of the people living in these properties. We also recognised the upheaval this decision would cause – and that we would offer help to support them in moving to a new home, in line with our statutory duties [Lambeth to reclaim over 160 additional homes for homeless households - 25 October 2024].
This commitment has been repeated and followed up on throughout – e.g. “Where a household currently privately renting one of these properties is owed a housing duty, we will assess their needs and work with them to ensure they receive appropriate support.” [High Court rejects challenge to Lambeth plans to reclaim over 160 former council homes to tackle housing crisis - 18 June 2025].
The Judgment published last June pointed out that the council was not under any duty to house the claimant in that case (par36). In fact, the judge ruled that:
“At no material time did she have any entitlement to rehousing under Part 7 of the 1996 Act and nor did she have any entitlement to the allocation of a secure tenancy by the defendant.
“What she has done is to take the benefit of a series of relatively low-rent assured shorthold tenancies, which made clear to her that the landlord was not the defendant, and she now seeks by this claim to jump the queue of people awaiting accommodation from the defendant by converting these agreements into a secure tenancy with the defendant to which she would not otherwise be entitled.”
- On the points made about ownership/landlords, it’s been clearly established that Homes for Lambeth and not Lambeth Council, were the landlords of these properties – the Notification of the Judge’s Decision, of March 2025 (sent to you yesterday), is pretty conclusive on this point:
“It is plain that the Defendant is not the Claimant’s landlord. The current lease was entered into between the Claimant as “Tenant” and HFL Living Ltd as “Landlord”.” [par (2)]
- I’m not sure what you’re asking for re “details/evidence of where they were agreed as short-term tenancies”, as Assured Shorthold Tenancies are, by name and definition, not meant to be long-term.
The Cabinet Member Delegated Decision report of 15 October 2024, is entitled “Transfer of Assured Shorthold Tenancies from Homes for Lambeth to the Council…”; and the first sentence states that the document “seeks approval to implement the transition of council owned properties, Homes for Lambeth (“HfL”) and sub-let by them for rent on assured shorthold tenancies (“ASTs”) in the private market, back to the council”.
The judge’s decision in March, confirmed in June, states that:
“It follows that the tenancy granted by HFL Living Ltd was, as the tenancy agreement made clear, an assured shorthold tenancy and could not even arguably have been a secure tenancy.” (p6)
Built with Shorthand