Council serve eviction notice

That's just a letter giving notice to quit, not an eviction notice.

Get advice from Advisory service for squatters in London.They are brilliant.

It looks to me that the council need to get a possession order from the court first, and only then can they get warrant to evict you (also from the court.)

Dont let them scare you the fuckers

True -- squat-or-die :) -> but after the discussion with the council today we are taking no chances
= we would like to gather support for the project
hence the early posting -- even if somewhat incorrect in it's title :/

7 years empty - 7 days squatted - now they have plans for the building ?
fishy smells

but anyway

There will be a gardening project on sunday 21/08/05 with food, coffee & tea ect ect
feel free to come by and help/drink/eat/talk

the link is to some, before and 3 days later photos.
there will be more posted tonight and into the future :)

 http://www.scii.nl/~klarkin/SQUATINGHAM/photos/

as things grow we post

A building empty for many years has been occupied. The neighbours constantly fed up with the council inaction, a mess in the garden, drug abusers round the back of the property, windows smashed. Not something you would like to live next door to. Thus, the group has much community support, and now they're secure in their new home, there is much tidying up to do and this has already begun.

More info on the last week, and pictures at:
 http://indymedia.org.uk/en/regions/nottinghamshire/2005/08/321108.html

Squatting :: Some Current Advice ::  http://indymedia.org.uk/en/regions/nottinghamshire/2005/08/320446.html

You could try making the information more public, put the pressure on the council.
The Big Issue ran an article on the Forest Lodge, as did the Evening Post (suprisingly better than the Big Issue's!), also there is Left Lion, or try just getting letters published in the local press. Although that said, it might be wise to wait until you are served with an eviction notice, or taken to court. Note that the council said they were going to use Forest Lodge within a year of it being evicted, 3 years on, it's still empty-proven track record of lying. Don't know how old the building is, but if it's grade 2 listed, Nottingham Civic Society may offer some support, and can bring it up at council meetings. Get a local petition signed?

Anyways, I am writing to the council.

Forest Lodge recieved lot's of letters similar to that in it's three and a half year existance.

I have written a letter in support I would like to hear the coments of the collective before I post it:

20/08/05

Robert O’Shea
Estates Technician
Nottingham Property Plus
Severns House
Nottingham
NG1 7DW

Dear Mr. O’Shea,

I write to you concerning the property 33/3 Burns St. & 1 Wildman St. The Arboretum, Nottingham. It is my understanding that up until recently these properties have been vacant for 7 years, and that you plan to evict the current occupiers.

Properties that are left empty for prolonged periods of time pose a substantial health risk to people living in the surrounding area, they attract vermin, can become hazardous structurally (broken windows and the like), are prone to vandalism and arson. They often become ‘shooting galleries’ for substance misusers with no provided safe place to inject and as such have discarded syringes in and around them. On top of this they are often situated in areas where young people have little provision or money for entertainment and so the properties become their playgrounds. See the empty homes agency website for more information on this: www.emptyhomes.com.

I would like to ask you a few questions:

• What plans, if any do Nottingham City Council have for the property?
• Have you contacted the current occupiers to enquire of their plans, and intentions for the property? I am sure you will find that they intend to live in the house, begin cleaning up and repairing it, making it a safe place, protecting it from vandalism, preventing it being a magnet for vermin/ anti-social behaviour etc. And who, I am sure would happily vacate the property should the council have genuine plans to utilise it for a socially beneficial, or community use.
• Given that the current occupiers in no way intend to cause any trouble at the property, are already finding local support, would it not be prudent on your behalf to offer the occupiers Peppercorn rent status? In other words caretaker/occupiers of the building in question. Note that Peppercorn Rent affords the occupiers no tenancy rights. (see: www.peppercornrent.co.uk )

Thank you for taking the time to read my letter, and I look forward to hearing your reply.

I'm one of the collective involved.

Excellent letter, L, go ahead and send it, please do.

However, we are doing this not just in order to house ourselves and our projects, but also as a political statement about the Council's inaction over the vast number of empty, habitable buildings in the area.

Therefore, if it comes to it, it is unlikely that the collective view of the group will be to accept any kind of 'pepercorn rent' contract with the Council. Some of us have strong feelings on this, and consider it to be 'anti-squatting'. Therefore, I'd suggest removing that reference.

R

Hope this is o.k. Ronny and co.

:

I have written a letter in support I would like to hear the coments of the collective before I post it:

20/08/05

Robert O’Shea
Estates Technician
Nottingham Property Plus
Severns House
Nottingham
NG1 7DW

Dear Mr. O’Shea,

I write to you concerning the property 33/3 Burns St. & 1 Wildman St. The Arboretum, Nottingham. It is my understanding that up until recently these properties have been vacant for 7 years, and that you plan to evict the current occupiers.

Properties that are left empty for prolonged periods of time pose a substantial health risk to people living in the surrounding area, they attract vermin, can become hazardous structurally (broken windows and the like), are prone to vandalism and arson. They often become ‘shooting galleries’ for substance misusers with no provided safe place to inject and as such have discarded syringes in and around them. On top of this they are often situated in areas where young people have little provision or money for entertainment and so the properties become their playgrounds. See the empty homes agency website for more information on this: www.emptyhomes.com.

I would like to ask you a few questions:

• What plans, if any do Nottingham City Council have for the property?
• Have you contacted the current occupiers to enquire of their plans, and intentions for the property? I am sure you will find that they intend to live in the house, begin cleaning up and repairing it, making it a safe place, protecting it from vandalism, preventing it being a magnet for vermin/ anti-social behaviour etc. And who, I am sure would happily vacate the property should the council have genuine plans to utilise it for socially beneficial, or community use.

Given the councils inaction over this property, and many more, I would like to voice my support for this group of people from the community who have chosen to transform this place into something beneficial for the neighbourhood in which it stands, and further more I would ask that you do not go through with an eviction – which would only serve to leave the propery the eyesore, and hazzard it previously was.
L