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Search forTenants fear for apartments as building turns into rumour mill
Friday, November 21, 2008, 08:01
The Beth Johnson Housing Association tenants at Waterloo Mill on Waterloo Street, Leek, claim they have been kept in the dark amid rumours the building has new owners.
They say a number of other tenants have already left because of the uncertainty and many of the flats are empty.
The six ground floor flats in the three-storey building, pictured, are rented to them by the Beth Johnson Housing Association.
The association only owns the ground floor apartments and the remainder are either privately owned or rented out.
Lawyers from the association are now studying legal documents amid concerns that the company which owned the building has collapsed.
The housing association was unable to tell the Post & Times who owns the building.
Audrey Myers, a Waterloo Mill tenant of Beth Johnson, said: "We've heard that a bank has taken over the property, but . We are worried it could be converted into offices.
"A lot of people have left and many of the flats are empty."
Another tenant, Hilary Perks, said: "There's a lot of rumours going around. I certainly don't want to move from here."
A spokesman for the Beth Johnson Housing Association confirmed: "Beth Johnson Housing Association fully understands the worries that residents of Waterloo Mill have about the ownership of their properties.
"However, to date, we have not been officially advised about the ownership of Waterloo Mill changing hands.
"To ensure that residents can be contacted with all the facts, all legal documents relating to this property are being examined by solicitors who will be looking closely at the legal agreements to ensure that we have some concrete answers for our residents.
"Our leases are always drawn up to offer the best possible security to our residents but it is legally complicated and we are in the process of confirming all the details with a legal team."
A spokesman for Staffordshire Moorlands District Council said: "The council has received no calls from tenants of the former Waterloo Mill. This may be because Beth Johnson Housing Association bought a number of the flats from the company that converted the mill. As a consequence, those tenancies should be unaffected.
"The council has a duty to find emergency accommodation for residents made homeless by circumstances beyond their control and to work with social housing providers to secure permanent accommodation."
Apart from the Beth Johnson Housing Association tenants, four flats on the first floor, three on the second floor, and one on the third floor are believed to be occupied.
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