Family victim of ‘no fault’ eviction in Cornwall twice

One family, living in Camborne, are a prime example of how the crisis is causing extreme stress and anxiety for Cornish residents, particularly those facing eviction by landlords issuing Section 21 notices. The family has fallen victim of a ‘no fault’ eviction in Cornwall twice in two years now. 

They are one of many families who find themselves abruptly losing the security of their home and have to be rehoused by Cornwall Council in emergency accommodation miles from their places of work, children’s schools and friends and family.

Section 21 is a law written in the Housing Act 1988 that states a landlord has the automatic right to possession of their property without giving any reason once the terms of a tenancy agreement have expired. This can be done for many reasons, including property owners deciding to sell their houses or, as has become a growing issue in Cornwall, to make the most of the lucrative holiday / Airbnb market.

Jan and Tara Luscombe, and their three children aged seven to 14, are in the unenviable position of desperately trying to find a new home after the landlord of their property in Edward Street, Tuckingmill, issued a Section 21 notice at the beginning of this month. They have until June 6 to find a new property to rent that’s big enough for them all and also allows their dog. It’s proving incredibly difficult and they fear having to live in temporary emergency accommodation again.

The tragedy is that this isn’t the first time the family have been hit by a ‘no fault’ eviction. Two and a half years ago, they were issued with a Section 21 notice on their two-bedroom property in Camborne.

That move led bus driver Jan’s mum, Sue Ellery-Hill, to organise a protest about the “housing disaster” outside the then Environment Secretary George Eustice’s constituency office in the town.

Now her son, her part-time care assistant daughter-in-law and her grandchildren are facing an uncertain future again, Sue has written to Secretary of State for Housing Michael Gove, Cornwall councillors and Mr Eustice highlighting her family’s plight.

Mr Gove originally promised the Government would ban ‘no fault’ evictions, but as the Renter’s Reform Bill returns to the Commons today (Wednesday, April 24) the Tory minister made a U-turn and only said he “hopes” it will become law before the next General Election.

 The Luscombe family pictured when they were first made homeless in December 2021. Sue Ellery-Hill said: 'We took them out for a meal at the Admiral Benbow to cheer them up - they'd been put up in a holiday let down the road' (Image: Sue Ellery-Hill)

Sue said of her son’s family: “Two and a half years ago, they were issued with a Section 21 notice on their two-bedroomed property. The situation down here is so bad, principally due to the overwhelming number of landlords capitalising on Airbnb letting, we almost despaired at finding them somewhere else, but after a huge struggle and a period in temporary accommodation, we found them a lovely three-bed home – where they settled thankfully in December 2022.

“Now, just over two years on, they’ve been given another Section 21 – and have just weeks to find themselves another place to live. In theory, the way the system is set up, this could keep happening to them indefinitely. It is affecting their mental health, the kids and their wellbeing, and completely disrupting their lives and hopes for the future.”

Sue – who is the daughter of legendary Cornish folk singer Brenda Wootton – added: “Temporary accommodation, should it come to that, is a very mixed blessing, as it inevitably means their entire houseful of worldly goods must be rehoused elsewhere for the duration as well, and they have no money to pay for proper storage. There is always the nightmare prospect of being temporarily housed somewhere miles away from their schools and support networks.”

.Tara Luscombe and her family, including Sue Ellery-Hill’s husband Chris. Tara, husband Jan and their three children are the victims of a ‘no fault’ eviction for the second time in two years

At the Luscombe family home in Tuckingmill, where the dog was contentedly asleep on the sofa while the kids were at school, Tara said: “It’s stressful to have to worry about finding a home for your family – it’s hard work. It affects you mentally and emotionally. It feels like the whole world’s on top of you.

“These ‘no fault of your own’ Section 21s aren’t helping the housing crisis. There are probably hundreds of us all looking for properties.

“The council won’t help you until the last few days and they can put you in emergency accommodation anywhere. Two of our children are in critical years at school in Camborne, so we don’t want to have to move them.”

Jan Luscombe and his three children, who along with his wife Tara, face an uncertain future after being evicted from their home for a second time (Pic: Sue Ellery-Hill)

When they were evicted from their home in 2022, the family were offered emergency accommodation in a one-bedroom flat in St Austell. They refused as they felt it would be unfair on their children for all five of them to be squashed into one room.

They were then put in a temporary home in Penzance. Because she couldn’t afford the return trip, Tara would take her children on the train to their schools in Camborne and then spend the day with friends in the town before heading back to Penzance with her family.

She knows a family who were put into emergency accommodation in Saltash after being evicted from their home in Camborne. The mother drives all the way from Saltash to Camborne every day to take her children to school. “That’s a lot of money,” Tara exclaimed.

The family stress that their current landlord has been very helpful and has apologised profusely for placing them in this situation so soon after taking them on, but he has to sell the house. He said if the Luscombes were in a position to buy, he would sell the house to them.

The family are being supported by Cornwall councillor Peter Perry, who has raised their situation with the local authority’s portfolio holder for housing, Cllr Olly Monk.

Tara added: “I’m not against landlords – I’m against the system. Airbnbs are proving a massive problem. We need more social housing. Low income families feel more comfortable in social housing as they don’t have the worry over their heads of a private landlord issuing a Section 21 notice.

“So many people are going through this in Cornwall. I hope by speaking out I can help others in the same situation.”