'I roared crying' - tenants react to mass eviction in Kilbeggan

Residents of over thirty apartments in Kilbeggan are facing uncertainty after the owner of the complex announced its intention to sell and issued them with eviction notices last week.

The Remcoll Group, which owns 76 units at Riverview, an enclave on the town’s western end, served notices to over 30 residents on Tuesday last, January 9. The Riverview apartment complex was first brought to market in 2007 and is now valued in the region of €10m.

Tenants affected by the news so far are residents in receipt of Housing Assistance Payments (HAP) through the local authorities in Offaly and Westmeath.

Leanne Marshall told the Westmeath Examiner that she “roared crying” when informed she had until July to leave her home at Riverview. She said the news that they were being evicted came as a complete shock to residents.

“When I found out I roared crying as this is my first proper home,” she told the paper at the weekend.

“I moved here when I had my daughter four years ago and thought I’d be able to live here until I could save for a mortgage.

“My first reaction was ‘Where am I supposed to go?’ I have nowhere else to go.”

Ms Marshall said her worries of becoming homeless have spread to her daughter and other young children living in the area.

“[My daughter] wouldn’t go into the crèche on Tuesday morning, for the first time ever, because she was crying about it.

“She said ‘Mammy I’m afraid I’m going to be homeless’ and when I asked her if she knew what that word meant she said ‘It’s when kids and parents have to sleep on the street.’

“Lots of kids here go to school together and they’re all great friends.

“Some parents have children with autism and are worried about uprooting them from their lives here too.”

Tracey Rushe has been living in Riverview since 2016 through a long-term social housing lease.

Continued from front

“We didn’t get a notice yet but we haven’t got any reassurance either that we won’t be evicted which is very worrying,” she said.

“You’re thinking to yourself ‘Oh God I’m next, aren’t I?’ and it’s just really uncomfortable not knowing what lies ahead – we’ve had so many mixed messages.”

Ms Rushe said the council hasn’t reached out to assure any tenants at Riverview that their position was safe.

“We've been left in limbo, at least those who are on HAP know what is going on with them,” she said.

“This is my home, I’ve put so much into making this my home, and I really don’t want to lose it.

“We have a good community here and we all look out for each other; it would be a shame for it to get taken apart like this.”

The remaining households at Riverview, most of whom are living there through long-term social housing leases with Westmeath County Council and the Fr Peter McVerry Trust, have also been left concerned by the news, although the McVerry Trust has issued a statement stating that the properties it rents are “long-term leases which will not be affected by any change in ownership”.

A statement released by WCC confirming it was aware that Notices of Termination have been issued to a number of tenants at Riverview Complex: “There are a number of the tenants in the complex that are in receipt of Housing Assistance Payment and Intercounty Housing Assistance Payment,” the statement read.

It continued: “WCC will be liaising with qualifying households, to provide support to find alternative accommodation, over the coming months.”

Local councillor Liam McDaniel, who is the sitting Cathaoirleach of WCC, said his understanding is tenants resident under long-term leases won’t be evicted.

“They haven’t been issued with termination notices and their positions are secure,” he said.

“Whoever buys the property is obliged to honour the long-term leases that are there, which is my understanding.”

Offaly TD Barry Cowen, who said many of those affected were from the Offaly County Council housing list: “I understand that Westmeath County Council is to engage with the owners with a view to purchasing a section or portion of the properties in order to accommodate tenants that are [housing list] applicants,” he said.

“An even greater number of tenants are Offaly County Council housing [list] applicants.

“I would therefore ask if Offaly County Council would liaise with their counterparts in Westmeath with a view to a joint engagement with the property owners.”

Sinn Féin TD Sorca Clarke said the timing is terrible for those living in Riverside. “There’s never a good time to receive a notice to quit, but when you look at the homelessness figures we have at the moment, this is just dreadful,” she said.

“This is going to have a huge impact, not just on Kilbeggan, but on the entire region – where are these households going to go?

“There are no properties available to rent in Kilbeggan at the moment and there are very few around Westmeath and Offaly.”

Deputy Clarke is calling for WCC to engage with the Department of Housing to find a solution before high numbers of people are made homeless.”

She also said Westmeath County Council needs to be clear to its tenants who are in Riverside on long-term leases, what their position is.