Over 650 in Rochdale put at risk of eviction in the last year

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Alarming new figures from housing charity Shelter have revealed more than 19,000 renting households in the North West were put at risk of losing their home in the past year – equivalent to 45,950 renters.

The new analysis of statistics from the Ministry of Justice, showed that one in every 55 rented homes in the North West were at risk of eviction.

The charity also identified the ‘home threat hotspots’ across the region where renters face the greatest risk of losing their home, which comes as a result of the chronic shortage of affordable homes combined with crippling welfare cuts.

Halton topped the list with one in 34 rented homes under threat of eviction, followed by Bolton (one in 38), and Tameside (one in 43) - Rochdale was one in 51.

John Ryan, service manager at Shelter’s Manchester Advice Hub, said: “Every day at Shelter we hear from people who are struggling to keep up with their rent, many in total desperation after the court papers land on their doormat and the threat of being evicted becomes very real.

“It’s natural to feel overwhelmed, but remember you’re not alone – Shelter is here 365 days a year. So if you’re struggling to keep up, or facing eviction and not sure what to do next, get expert advice as soon as possible. It can be the difference between losing your home and keeping it. Shelter is here to help at shelter.org.uk/advice, on 0808 800 4444 or at our Manchester advice centre.”

The volume of people facing eviction who are coming to Shelter for advice in England is getting higher and higher. In the past year alone, over 9,800 people facing eviction called the Shelter helpline for advice and over 500,000 people visited the Shelter website’s eviction advice pages.

Anyone struggling with housing problems in Manchester can drop into their advice centre on the ground floor of Victoria House, 5 Samuel Ogden Street, M1 7AX.