As the temporary government ban on evictions has now come to and end, BHT is urging anyone facing eviction to get professional advice as soon as possible. Our advice centres in Brighton, Eastbourne and Hastings offer free, independent, high quality housing advice and last year prevented 927 households from losing their homes.
BHT’s advice centres have continued to operate throughout the pandemic, offering support on a range of housing, immigration and welfare benefits related issues. Whilst current safety precautions mean that their offices are not open for drop-in appointments, we are providing our usual advice by telephone, email and other media. As these services are funded by the Legal Aid Agency and by Local Authorities there are certain eligibility restrictions which can be found on each area webpage.
The courts are also now starting to deal with possession cases again. For those who have not managed to get advice ahead of a hearing, BHT runs Court Duty Schemes at the Brighton, Lewes and Hastings County Courts, which can give advice on the day of a possession hearing. This is emergency advice and free of charge to everyone.
Suzanne Hennell, BHT’s Senior Advice Manager, said:
Following the lifting of the ban, the potential for a surge in evictions is obviously worrying. However, given the backlog of cases and the length of time it takes to secure a Court date, in most cases people still have time to get legal advice and representation in order to protect their homes. Our advice to anyone who may be facing eviction is to seek professional advice as soon as they can.
The contact details of BHT’s solicitors and advisors can be found here. For more information you can also email advice@bht.org.uk
