The Chronicle has published a number of articles regarding the use of a Section 21 No Fault Eviction Order by Bournemouth Churches Housing Association (BCHA) against a resident living in Sussex Street. 

On August 15 I sat through a court hearing for BCHA’s fourth attempt to evict their tenant of 27 years. 

The case was adjourned as the judge wanted to question a BCHA employee who hadn’t turned up.
BCHA don’t own the Sussex Street property, it's owned by Winchester City Council who now want their property back with vacant possession.

I have recently been contacted by another BCHA tenant living in St John's Road who has also been served with a Section 21 Order along with the three other property tenants.

They have asked me if I can help and I am talking to both BCHA and WCC about what’s happening.

For background, BCHA’s involvement in Winchester came about when they took over the operations and properties owned by Winchester Churches Housing Group (Keystone) in 2013, a sister organisation to the Night Shelter. At the time they were accused of being asset strippers but I was assured by their then CEO, Martin Hancock that they had no intention of quitting Winchester. 

WCC made interest free loans available to Keystone to buy and refurbish properties. The council gave Keystone a £90,000 grant to convert the office in St Johns Road into four flats and at one point they were housing 29 people over around eight properties in Winchester. 

If and when the St John's Road property is sold, BCHA will have effectively exported almost £3m of Winchester money away to Dorset.

I am certain that Bournemouth has some real issues of homelessness but so does Winchester. I have to wonder why they let this happen. 

Ian Tait,
Romsey Road, 
Winchester

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