A coalition of housing campaigners are calling on Southwark Council to step in after the Bermondsey tenants were issued with eviction notices and rent increases ahead of the ban on ‘no-fault’ evictions.
Fifty households on the St James Estate received Section 21 notices and more tenants face rent increases of £250 to £900 a month after new owner BMR Group Ltd acquired the estate from Folio London, a subsidiary of Notting Hill Genesis, in November 2025.
It comes as the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 ended ‘no-fault’ evictions meaning landlords would instead need to rely on a Section 8 notice, which requires stricter grounds in order to evict a tenant.
St James Estate tenant Abigail Bunyan, who is facing eviction, said: “These houses are not an investment, they are homes that people have raised kids in, raised grandkids in, and the people of this community being treated like this is beyond detestable.
“This whole area is often described as a forgotten area within Southwark, and it’s the long term residents of this estate who should have a say in what happens here.”
Social Housing Action Campaign (SHAC) along with London Renters Union and ACORN are calling on the council to implement the demands of the St James Tenants Rights Association.
The tenants association are urging Southwark council to use its investigatory powers and launch an immediate investigation into BMR’s actions on the estate.
The group are also asking Southwark Council to refuse all applications from BMR to convert homes into Homes of Multiple Occupancy (HMOs) and provide free legal advice for tenants facing eviction and rent increases.
Under the Renters’ Rights Act 2025, landlords will now need to show an intent to sell the property or have a family member move in, proof of missed payments or antisocial behaviour by the tenant.
Abigail Bunyan added: “Some tenants were even nominated for placement here by Southwark Council to get them off the homelessness waiting list, leading them to believe they would enjoy some level of protection from the private rental market, only now to be told they will have to leave.”
The group have also asked for Bermondsey & Old Southwark MP Neil Coyle to go to central government to ask for emergency powers to take the estate off the private rental market.
SHAC secretary and co-founder Suzanne Muna said: “St James tenants aren’t numbers on a balance sheet, they are people and families who have built a community over decades.
“Southwark Council must use every enforcement tool it has to block these homes being sold and converted into cash machines.
“They must stop the evictions, and help bring the estate into council ownership.”
Southwark Council’s Executive Member for Community Safety and Engagement Cllr David Watson said: “Everyone deserves a secure home and this mass eviction is shameful.
“I’ve met residents on the estate and am talking to the Tenants Association about the issues, and our officers have been giving advice to residents, including about their housing rights.
“We are urgently investigating what more we can do to support our residents, though the council has limited powers in this area.”
Southwark Trades Union Council has contacted the leader of Southwark Council and key executive members to request an urgent formal response outlining the steps the Council is taking to support residents on the estate.
BMR Group Ltd could not be reached for comment.
Featured image credit: Jack Coble via Unsplash
Join the discussion