Whitehaven residents issued shock eviction notice

All residents of The Slipway on Whitehaven Harbour, who rent their homes privately, have received letters from new building owners SGL 5 Ltd telling them they must 'vacate the property'.

The flats were previously managed by Grisedales under a different owner, but were recently purchased by real estate company SGL 5 Ltd, which according to Companies House is based in Altrincham.

The letter, dated September 13, states: "Due to the need for extensive renovations and improvements to the property, we regret to inform you that we are seeking possessions of the premises. 

"As a result, we will require you to vacate the property. A formal legal notice outlining the steps will follow shortly, but we wanted to inform you in advance and offer any support during this transition. 

"We fully appreciate that this may cause inconvenience, and we are prepared to discuss any immediate concerns of offer practical assistance where possible."

According to SGL 5, of the 27 flats in the property, seven are vacant and another four are on shorter term leases.

Jane Lightfoot, a resident who has lived in the building for over three decades, said: "It's terrible, it was such a shock. I've lived here for 31 years, and I never thought I'd have to leave. 

"The oldest resident living in the flats is 89 years old. I think it's disgusting. 

"A few of the the other residents and I spoke to Cumberland Council who advised us to put our names on the list for new properties to rent. 

"If we were made homeless, we were told we'd be put into a bed and breakfast. It's a real worry."

Another resident, who did not wish to be named, said: "We're not happy about it, there aren't enough flats in Whitehaven to accommodate us. 

"A lot of the residents are in their old age; some are in their 70s and 80s and I believe one has dementia."

Ian Stitt, another resident added: "We're all panicking, there's going to be people looking for a place to live in Whitehaven.

"I think they're being totally unreasonable."

The tenants added that the phone number printed on the eviction letter did not work.

Whitehaven and Workington MP Josh MacAlister and deputy leader of Cumberland Council Emma Williamson have jointly written to SGL 5 Ltd to express their concern over the move.

"This sort of practice is completely unacceptable and we would ask you to urgently rethink this decision. This behaviour is not what we want to see from responsible local property owners," they wrote.

"As an absolute minimum we would expect you to give people sufficient time to find alternative accommodation and to engage constructively with residents."

Daniella Lipszyc, the head of legal at SGL 5 Ltd who wrote the letter to residents, told The Whitehaven News that it was 'wholly inaccurate' to say that tenants are being evicted with two months' notice.

"Our goal is to enhance the property for future use, ensuring it remains a valuable asset for years to come," she said.

"We intend to remain open to discussions with tenants about potential extended time frames or alternative arrangements, and we are open to negotiating with the tenants depending on individual circumstances. Our priority is to work with each tenant to find suitable solutions wherever possible.

"We intend to be in close communication with the tenants, keeping them informed of these necessary works, and continue to offer assistance during this transition."

She said that the plans for the building have been in the works for a while and that they are unrelated to forthcoming Government legislation banning so-called 'no fault evictions'.