NHS workers rehomed by local family after 'eviction threat'

‘It highlights how we need to make sure people are looked after during this time,’ says Tooting MP Rosena Allin-Khan

Three junior doctors who were allegedly threatened with eviction after they fell short on rent have been rehomed by a family in their area, an MP has revealed.

Alexander Cairns resorted to asking for help on Twitter, saying he and two housemates had been left facing homelessness during the coronavirus pandemic.

He was inundated with offers of a place to stay after his appeal was widely shared including by Labour MP Rosena Allin-Khan. Dr Allin-Khan is an A&E doctor at St George's Hospital in Tooting, southwest London, where Mr Cairns said he and his housemates also worked.

Mr Cairns tweeted on Wednesday: “Landlord not happy to let us stay and tenancy runs out start of May. Does anyone know of any three beds in the Tooting area to rent?”

Mr Cairn had a fourth housemate who moved out to live with their family during the lockdown, which has been underway for the past three weeks, Sky News reported. The remaining trio was unable to afford the full rent and their landlord was unwilling to consider letting them stay, it was claimed.

Their case was taken up by Dr Allin-Khan, who provided an update later that evening. She said: “A local family decided to self-isolate with their elderly parents in Yorkshire at the start of the outbreak. They have been in touch and offered their house in Tooting for Alex and his housemates to live in.

“The warmth shown by our community never fails to impress me.”

However, Dr Allin-Khan said she was concerned that many more people may be going through the same experience with their landlords as the coronavirus crisis continues to impact daily life.

She told Sky News: “I was really alarmed to see that they would be finding themselves with nowhere to live.”

Explaining the doctors’ situation, she said she had always “promised to go into bat for NHS staff” and added that she was outraged at the lack of sympathy shown by the doctors' landlord.

Dr Allin-Khan, who was appointed shadow minister for mental health last week by Labour’s new leader, Keir Starmer, praised the Tooting community for banding together to help the trio.

The family who allowed the doctors to move into their home were happy to “donate their house to a good cause”, she said.

“It highlights how we need to make sure people are looked after during this time,” she added. “As an MP, I am hearing lots of stories like this.”

Mr Cairn also posted an update, saying: “Thanks for everyone’s support. We are now all sorted!”

The issue of NHS staff being evicted from their homes during the coronavirus pandemic, while working on the frontlines, has been an ongoing issue.

Last month, a surgeon at the Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre and the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford was told to pack his belongings and leave as his landlord was worried he would bring Covid-19 into her property.

Joseph Alsousou, 43, had been renting a room in his landlord’s home before she decided he should move out.

He said: “Evicted because of coronavirus, never in my medical career I have been in this situation where people turn their back to doctors who may one day treat them.”

In another case, a paramedic for South Western Ambulance Service was evicted from his home over WhatsApp.

Joseph Hoar tweeted a screengrab of texts from his landlady, which read: "Joe on reflection I am now super nervous about having someone from the NHS here.

"As it's only a matter of time before [you are] in contact with the virus. Can [you] organise an Airbnb and collect your stuff tomorrow. Sorry I normally would never do this but it's not worth the risk. I'll charge you for the week and refund everything. Hope [you] understand."

Earlier in March, the government announced emergency legislation to stop landlords from evicting private and social renters but Labour said the measures fell short of what was needed.

Under the legislation, landlords are only barred from beginning court proceedings for at least three months but can still inform tenants of an intention to evict them from late June.

Campaigners warned that eviction notices would "continue to drop on doorsteps" while the pandemic continued and called the legislation weak and "inexcusable".