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Camden New Journal - by TOM FOOT
Published: 13 March 2008

Cllr Chris Naylor

‘Letter shows I am the tenant’

Woman in ‘They sold my home’ row rejects claim that flat was empty

A DEAF woman who discovered her specially fitted home in Kentish Town had been sold by reading the New Journal has rounded on housing chiefs after they tried to rubbish her claims this week.
Lucy Eagar, 45, has now produced council letters sent as recently as last month which show Camden Council asking her for rent and declaring her the “tenant” at the property.
Liberal Democrat housing chief Councillor Chris Naylor emailed all Camden councillors on Monday “clarifying the facts” over allegations made by Lucy Eagar during a public meeting at the Town Hall.
The New Journal reported how Ms Eagar confronted him after reading that the Rochester Road property had fetched £715,000 at auction in a controversial council homes sell-off.
Cllr Naylor’s Lib Dem colleagues called for a retraction of the “inaccurate” story, claiming “incontrovertible proof” that the property was empty and that Ms Eagar had requested a permanent move.
But she disputes this claim and her family say the council’s stance is tantamount to calling her a liar.
Yesterday (Wednesday) she produced a letter, dated February 25, the same day that the auction took place, from Camden’s director of housing Neil Litherland, which warned: “Weekly charges for 57 Rochester Road, of which you are the tenant, will be increased from April 1. You may choose to terminate your tenancy as a result of the increase.”
Ms Eagar also produced a letter showing she was continuing to pay water and gas bills at the Rochester Road address.
Ms Eagar’s 77-year-old mother, Bridie McGowan, said: “I have lived in Camden for 55 years and have never experienced anything like this. All I want is for my daughter to be secure.
“It makes me angry that the council are saying we are not telling the truth. We are not that type of people. She has been very badly treated through the whole affair.”
Ms Eagar’s brother Mark, who lives in Pratt Street, said: “I’m surprised by the council’s response. We are not blaming individuals.”
Ms Eagar added: “I am very happy with the [New Journal] story. It was completely accurate.”
Cllr Naylor said: “If a letter has gone out asking her for rent for a property that is empty then there has clearly been an administrative error. We are not calling her a liar but we know what the facts are. This is not evidence of systemic problems in the housing department.”
He added: “The truth is that the property was too expensive to repair after a fire in March 2005. If we had the money to do it up we would, but we don’t so we can’t.”

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