Incredible moment kind hearted neighbours formed human chain around mum’s house to stop her being evicted ‘after she complained to landlord about damp’
THIS is the heart-warming moment concerned neighbours formed a human chain around a mum's house - to stop her being kicked out in a "revenge eviction".
Nimo Abdullahi, 39, said she was told her family would be thrown out of their home of 12 years after she complained to her landlord about damp.
But in a bid to protect Nimo from the eviction, residents and campaigners turned out to help the mum-of-five by linking arms in front of the privately-rented property.
Around 30 people stood side by side to build a wall of bodies at the home in Bristol.
More and more neighbours began to join the blockade - with a newlywed couple living opposite the family cutting up their wedding cake to feed the protesters.
And when bailiffs turned up on Tuesday morning, they weren't able to get inside.
Nimo said she was threatened with evictions numerous times - whenever she complained - but this time, the landlord actually went through with it.
She said: "It has a big problem with damp. This is bad for us because my children have asthma and it is not a good place.
"Until recently, the carpets everywhere were very old and dirty and we would ask the landlord to improve things, but he was difficult.
"Many times I asked him and a lot of times he would threaten us.
"He would say that we were going to be evicted, and once he came round with his wife and she said that if we didn't move out they would call the police to get us out.
"But this is our home."
Nimo who is being helped by Acorn, a local grassroots movement which fights for renters' rights, said she was stunned by the support from her neighbours.
The mum, whose three sons and two daughters go to the local school, said: "I was shocked. I went out and came running back in because I was so stunned.
"I've had great support from Acorn and now to see my neighbours outside supporting me is amazing."
Jenny Ross came out to protest the treatment of the Abdullahi family, who have lived in the property since they moved to England from Holland.
She said: "We don't want people in our community treated like this. It's a revenge eviction and people deserve decent rented accommodations.
"This landlord, and all landlords, need to know there are people in this community who won't ignore it.
"We live in this street and it's a close community. It's amazing how many people have turned out."
Another neighbour, Kirsten Parton, added: "I'm here because of the way she's been treated by her landlord, it is simply not on.
"She and her family are part of the community and have been here for quite some time."
Campaign organiser Nick Ballard, from Acorn Bristol, said he wants to send a "strong message" to the community that such evictions will not be tolerated.
He said: "There's a history of this happening, where she makes a complaint and within a few weeks she's hit with an eviction notice.
"We've successfully stopped that in the past because the landlord hadn't followed the correct legal procedures, but this time they have.
"What we're trying to do is send a strong message to landlords and to the wider community that revenge evictions aren't going to be tolerated.
"This is people's lives at stake here - people are being made homeless - Nimo and her family are being made homeless by this.”
A spokesman for the landlord said all legal processes had been followed and denied it was a revenge eviction.
He said: ''The correct legal process has been followed to remove the tenant Ms Abdullahi from the property.
''The tenant Ms Abdullahi and Acorn have made false allegations in terms of this being a revenge eviction.
''This claim of it being a 'revenge eviction 'is particularly surprising, as the landlord had invited both parties to a meeting.
''This was attended by Acorn and Ms Abdullahi to help resolve the situation, where the landlord clearly explained the reasoning behind the eviction, even though this was not compulsory.
''Ms Abdullahi has been asked to vacate the property for over two years with several concessions given.
''Acorn and Ms Abdullahi have claimed that there was damp and have provided images.
''The damp specialist inspected the property after the landlord had been notified of these issues.
''The report stated that the issue was not damp but condensation mould due to inadequate ventilation to the wall something that Ms Abdullahi was given several reminders over the last few years.
''This can also be confirmed with environmental health, who have also inspected the property.
''Acorn and Ms Abdullahi have failed to mention that access to the property for the workmen to help resolve the repairs/issues was denied for over eight weeks.
''Surely if the condition of the property was substandard then why did she delay repairs being made for such a long period?
''Ms Abdullahi has also failed to mention that she is in rent arrears in excess of £3000.
''Furthermore there were several delays to the eviction to accommodate requests from Ms Abdullahi such as, waiting till her children had completed their exams and then delaying the bailiff appointment while she went to visit her terminally ill father in Kenya.
''Since issuing the most recent section 21 notice she has been given an additional six months to reside in the property and find suitable alternative accommodation.
''Acorn have simply used this as a ploy to gain extra publicity and increased awareness.
''However have failed to produce the true facts behind the situation and have further misled the public.
''In regards to Ms Abdullahi I now understand why other private landlords hesitate to accept housing benefit tenants.''
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