Andy is 50-years-old, he never imagined he would have to move back in with his 78-year-old mum.
But that's exactly what he is having to do after he was informed of a sudden rent increase of £235 to pay on the house he has lived in for more than six years. And he's not the only one.
The ECHO has spoken to several people living in Galingale Road in Norris Green who are all now being forced to leave their homes because of this sudden increase.
Andy, who asked to only give his first name, is a construction worker. He lives in Galingale with his partner and the couple were just about making ends meet before news of the rent hike arrived. He will now have to move in with his 78-year-old mum in her home in Croxteth, while his partner is moving in with her elderly father.
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Andy said: "It's certainly not what I envisaged at 50-years-old, but I don't have any other choice right now.
"When the letter came through I told them I couldn't afford it and asked if they could reduce it to £700. They said the best they could do is £825 but that would lock me in for two years. I couldn't afford that anyway with all our bills going up so I'm moving out.
"It's just a sign of the times I think. No one seems to care about anyone anymore. It is all just about money."
The letter Andy speaks of came from Leeds-based Allsop Lettings who manage a number of properties in the street on behalf of a landlord, believed to be based in Jersey.
Another resident, who asked not to be named, explained their current situation. They said: "We moved into our house in 2018, originally paying £610 per month. This was increased in 2019 to £625 per month. We never missed a payment. On October 6 this year we received an email to say our rent will be increasing to £850 - a 36% increase - and that we needed to sign a fixed term contract.
"The tone of the email suggested that the landlord was doing us a favour, stating "If you do choose to renew your agreement you will, of course, avoid the cost and time of moving". It also stated that if we did not agree with the increase we needed to hand in a four week notice and leave the property. The £850 rent increase is due 25/11/22, exactly 1 month before Christmas."
The residents then tried to contact Allsop to be told the person they needed to speak to had gone home. They tried to call the next day only to be told the company was no longer taking calls regarding renewals.
They added: "We have been astounded by the lack of empathy and customer service shown by our landlord/rental company. After finally getting to speak to somebody on the phone, we were advised to write an email with our concerns to them, as they were meeting with our landlord the next day. We received an email following this today, over a week later, simply saying the rent is non-negotiable, however, if we want to sign up to a 24 month contract, the rent could be decreased to £825 per month."
At a time of spiralling energy costs and rising inflation, a chunky sudden rent increase is the last thing the residents of Galingale Road need. Another resident said the street is already becoming a "ghost road" as neighbours all around him move out.
He said: "We got told a couple of months ago about the rent increase. We were told the rent would be going up from £680 to £850 and that this was non-negotiable.
"The place is already becoming a ghost street, one of my neighbours has already moved out, another is going at the end of the month and another has just said they are moving out too. No one can afford to pay this. We have decided to go now too, with the price of gas and electric going up we can't afford this. It is really worrying for everyone."
He added: "This doesn't seem to matter to them at all, it feels like they are actively trying to force people out."
A number of residents have been in contact with Norris Green councillor Barry Kushner. He described the situation facing the people of the area as "a tragedy."
Cllr Kushner said: "The rent increases for private residents in Norris Green are driving people out of their homes, and making people homeless through no fault of their own. I am supporting families that are having to pay up to 30% more in their rent overnight and they just can’t afford it.
"I can’t imagine in any other area that prices would be allowed not go up like this. This is wrong and a tragedy. How are residents supposed to pay an extra £200 to 300 per month, when their energy bills have doubled, food is increasing by 14% and petrol has increased by 30%+. They just can’t cope. This is a housing crisis on top of a cost of living crisis, and it is fuelled by the irresponsible and heartless behaviour of private landlords."
Cllr Kushner said the local authority is looking at what it can do to control these sudden rent increases. He added: "Our powers have been limited by the Tory Government. Whatever Tory Leader is in office this week or next, he or she must act to bring back rent controls and fund councils like ours that do not have the funds to support this homelessness crisis.
"The increase in evictions and homelessness is applying pressure on social housing, where we already have a huge shortage. To reassure residents, as a council, we have the responsibility for the welfare of anyone in the city that becomes homeless and we will pay for Bed and Breakfast accommodation to make sure that our residents have a roof over their heads, and help them find a house.
"But this is why our homeless housing budget is already £4.11m overspent this year and we are only half way through the year. Where is the support of even this inept Government for any of this?"
In a response, a spokesperson for Allsop Lettings said: "We have been in close dialogue with a number of residents of the Galingale Road development to offer new assured shorthold tenancies at rental prices in line with the market.
"These tenancies typically last for 12 months, providing greater certainty for tenants compared with existing month-to-month tenancies. We have recently agreed a good number of these renewals with existing tenants. In every case we allow adequate time for consultation and to discuss options with the tenant.
“To establish the market rent we follow a rent setting framework, which considers rents achieved at the same, or similar properties via new lettings as well as evidence from nearby schemes.
“We encourage any household with extenuating circumstances or who have come to the end of their tenancy to reach out to their dedicated property manager to discuss their circumstances and will always work collaboratively with the residents to help them identify the most suitable solution for them.
“We maintain high standards in managing lease renewals in a fair and compliant manner and in keeping with a privately owned and professionally managed residential portfolio.”
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