Homeless families placed in temporary housing by Lambeth Council have accused the local authority of conducting "intimidating" unannounced home visits, leaving them terrified of imminent eviction. The allegations have sparked a campaign by the housing action group HASL, demanding an immediate end to the practice.
Families Living in Fear and Confusion
The housing group, Housing Action Southwark and Lambeth (HASL), which supports people facing homelessness and poor housing, says its members are being subjected to a confusing and stressful environment. Campaigners highlight that officers often turn up without warning, while others receive sudden emails suggesting relocation miles outside London.
One resident, a HASL member for three years, claimed the council told her family they must leave their temporary home and find a private rental within 56 days. She stated her husband was informed a new department had been created specifically to evict families due to a shortage of properties.
Another resident described the distress caused by the visits: "If Elizabeth Wyatt from HASL was not with me, I would be really, really scared," she said. "I've been bidding for nearly eight-and-a-half years - what is the point in taking me from here to somewhere outside of London?"
A Council Under Immense Financial Pressure
The backdrop to this tension is a severe and costly housing crisis for the borough. Lambeth Council is now providing temporary accommodation for more than 4,600 homeless households every night, a figure that has increased by 50% in just two years.
This emergency provision is costing the council over £100 million per year, contributing to a wider budget shortfall. The authority must find £183 million in savings over four years, with £84 million still to be identified before March 2026.
In November 2025, the council announced a major review of its Placement Policy, stating that most homeless households would now have to be placed outside the borough, and often beyond the South East, due to a lack of local suitable accommodation.
Campaign Action and Council Response
In October 2025, HASL members staged a protest outside Lambeth Civic Centre, attempting to hand in a letter demanding an end to "unannounced and intimidating visits". The group claims the council refused to accept the letter.
Elizabeth Wyatt of HASL said: "We were shocked when we heard reports of housing officers making unannounced visits... Our members were left believing they would be imminently evicted." She also criticised the council's new use of 'private sector discharge' policies, which she argues creates a cycle of homelessness.
In response, Cllr Danny Adilypour, Lambeth's Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Housing, defended the council's actions. He stated the authority has a duty to inspect accommodation quality and help families find stable, long-term housing.
"We are doing what we can to build as many new affordable homes as possible," Cllr Adilypour said. "But the scale of the crisis means that is not enough... This crisis is a tragedy for every family affected and is placing unsustainable pressure on council budgets."
He added that the council is prioritising its limited social housing for those with greatest need and is determined to provide longer-term, secure placements for homeless households.
