By the Social Housing Action Campaign

Tenants on the St James Estate are fighting back against mass evictions and unaffordable rent rises after corporate landlord BMR Group Ltd began attempting to force residents from their homes and convert the estate into unlicensed houses for multiple occupation. 

In November 2025, Folio London, the private rental sector arm of Notting Hill Genesis housing association, sold the estate to BMR Group Ltd. By 2026, BMR had begun issuing Section 21 notices and imposing huge rent increases in what residents say is a deliberate attempt to drive families out and maximise profit. 

More than 100 families now face losing their homes. Fifty households have already been issued with Section 21 notices informing them that they will be evicted at the end of June, while others have been hit with rent rises of between £250 and £900 a month. 

In May 2026, tenants came together to form an official Tenants and Residents Association to help each other stay in their homes and resist mistreatment by their landlord. 

Abigail Bunyan, a tenant from the estate who is facing eviction said: “These houses are not an investment, they are homes that people have raised kids in, raised grandkids in, and the people of this community being treated like this is beyond detestable. This whole area is often described as a forgotten area within Southwark, and it’s the long term residents of this estate who should have a say in what happens here.” 

“These homes have changed hands over the years through a series of private landlords. Meanwhile, residents have been raising families and building their lives on St James’ Estate. Some tenants were even nominated for placement here by Southwark Council to get them off the homelessness waiting list, leading them to believe they would enjoy some level of protection from the private rental market, only now to be told they will have to leave.”

A Community Under Threat 

Residents say BMR’s actions amount to a direct assault on a community and social infrastructure built over 35 years. 

The company is accused of using evictions and unaffordable rent hikes to clear families from their homes so properties can be converted into cramped Homes of Multiple Occupancy (HMOs), allowing the landlord to extract significantly higher rents. 

Tenants and residents supported by London Renters Union, ACORN, Southwark Independent Socialists, SHAC, Southwark Trades Union Council and others are calling on the council to take a stand, oppose BMR’s actions, and implement the demands of the St James TRA. 

Campaigners argue that BMR is a rogue landlord whose actions must be resisted, and that the Council has the powers and duties needed to intervene. 

Suzanne Muna, SHAC secretary and co-founder said: “St James tenants aren’t numbers on a balance sheet, they are people and families who have built a community over decades. BMR and Notting Hill Genesis have traded their homes as investments and it is obscene that they think they can get away with it. 

“SHAC stands with the St James Tenants and Residents Association because tenants need power, not platitudes. Southwark Council must use every enforcement tool it has, block these homes being sold and converted into cash machines. They must stop the evictions, and help bring the estate into council ownership.” 

Urgent Demands on the Council 

Under the Housing and Planning Act 2016 and the Renters’ Rights Act 2025, campaigners say the Council has a statutory duty to enforce housing standards. They are calling on the Council to: 

• Use its investigatory powers urgently and fully: launch an immediate investigation into BMR’s actions on the estate. 
• Reject HMO licence applications: refuse all applications from BMR to convert homes into HMOs. 
• Seek a banning order: prevent BMR from renting out residential accommodation or playing any role in the property sector.
• Update the national rogue landlord database: ensure BMR is added to the National Database of Rogue Landlords and Property Agents. 
• Blacklist BMR from public partnerships: exclude the company from all current and future Council procurement and partnership frameworks.
• Provide free legal advice: support tenants facing eviction, rent hikes, and landlord pressure. 

More fundamentally, campaigners say the Council must support the TRA’s demand for the St James Estate to be taken out of the private rental market and brought under public ownership. 

Other Councils Have Taken Action 

Campaigners point to enforcement action by other local authorities as evidence that councils can and should act decisively against rogue landlords. 

Bradford Council has been recognised as one of the first local authorities to use banning orders against owners of large HMO portfolios who had ignored significant financial penalties. 

Northampton Council has fined a landlord more than £300,000 for renting out an unlicensed HMO, while Brent, Ealing and Hastings have frequently used financial penalties and criminal prosecutions for failures to repair hazards or provide mandatory safety certificates. 

Southwark Trades Union Council has contacted the leader of the council and key executive members and expects an urgent formal response outlining the steps the Council is taking to support residents on the estate. 

SHAC links tenants, renters, shared owners and leaseholders living in social and private housing. We campaign to improve the conditions of homes and neighbourhoods, and to reduce the commercialisation of housing.  

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