Nottingham: Fighting the Bedroom Tax

Fighting the Bedroom Tax

Chris Jackson

Labour dominated Nottingham council issued a claim for a suspended possession order for a bedroom tax tenant who was less than four weeks in arrears and whose arrears had been decreasing for the last four months.

On the day of the hearing members of Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Scrap the Bedroom Tax Defend Council Tax Benefit issued a giant ‘summons’ to the council for failing to respond to the campaign’s requests for a meeting, failing to follow the eviction prevention protocol, failing to prevent possession hearings for bedroom tax tenants, failing to stand up to central government and failing to implement a no-evictions policy.

The claim for possession was adjourned for one year but the tenant’s payments were increased – by £1.10 a week.

Now the tenant does not have the fear of eviction hanging over them, but how many tenants have slipped through the net with no legal support in court and are now stuck with court costs and a suspended possession order?

As we announced to passers-by, Nottingham council says it is against the bedroom tax and that it is unsustainable so why are they taking people to court for arrears?