Evicting rioters is not fair on society.

As more and more groups speak out against the policy of eviction for rioters and their families, Wandsworth Council leader Ravi Govindia stands by his position. In an article relayed by the Wandsworth website (originally written for the Times), he states his position clearly, under the heading – Evicting rioters is being fair to neighbours.

The truth is, evicting problem tenants is not fair on society . It simply moves the problem elsewhere, to ferment until it erupts again later.

Further, there is no guarantee that the rioters have been problem tenants. I live in a housing block in Wandsworth. I have no problem neighbours. But it would not surprise me if one of the children living in this block had been involved. I don’t need them evicted. I want them to know that they did something wrong and I want them encouraged not to do it again. Shunting them off to the outskirts of London isn’t going to help them or society.

The punishment of people on benefits or in social housing is simply unfair. My block is part private, part council. Imagine there were two children, from different families in my block who had both been involved in looting. Both being convicted, one would be punished by eviction for the whole family while the other would get to stay in their homes. Where’s the equality?

For the evicted families, it could be young children, elderly relatives, mothers or babies evicted, forced from their homes just for the actions of one junior member. This is collective punishment. It’s frowned upon by the Geneva Convection and it should be frowned upon here.

Govindia claims that tenants sign up to this type of punishment when they take the lease. But this is no argument. We sign up to all sorts of small print when taking out a mobile phone contract but if they then turned round and tried to charge £1000 after a missed £50 payment, it would be seen as unfair and an illegal contract – despite it being signed by both parties. The banks have recently shown this to be true – they’ve had to refund disproportionate charges that were in the contract but turned out to be illegal.

Showing his faith in the private sector, Govindia says, “It is nonsense to suggest that if an eviction order is granted the family will end up on the streets. They will simply have to do what millions of other people, often on low incomes, already do: find accommodation in the private rental market. If they are on housing benefit they will continue to receive it and it will go to any landlord willing to rent them accommodation.”

But, he is ignoring the complex situation brought about by cuts in housing benefit and increases in rental prices. In an article in the Guardian last week, it was reported “For some landlords, the cuts to benefit levels have proved the final straw. A spokesman for the letting agent Move2 in Wandsworth, south London, said landlords on its books were unwilling to let to housing benefit tenants because of rates going down.”

Forcing people out of their social housing will mean that they have great difficulty in affording and finding accommodation in the private sector. This difficulty is reflected in the long waiting list for social housing.

Of course, evictees will be able to find accommodation somewhere. But where? Will it be a better environment for them? Will it encourage them to pull their socks up? Or will it simply increase a sense of marginalisation and injustice? I would certainly expect it will increase the sense of injustice for the 8 year old threatened with eviction by Wandsworth Council.

Ravi Govindia may be about to find out that his actions are not as supported as he would like. A protest is being organised (not by this author) to take place outside his home tomorrow. There are 630 people registered to attend.

Using a different approach, a petition against the eviction has received 1300 signatures at time of writing.

And the council isn’t united. Tony Belton, the leader of the Labour councillors in Wandsworth has said, ”Why should an eight-year-old kid suffer for that?” ”Supposing he did do what he is accused of doing, he should pay the price for that. Not someone else.”

Ravi Govindia appeared publicly to announce that Wandsworth were to be the first to evict a rioter. At the time it fitted well with the cries for all rioters to lose all benefits and other such knee jerk calls for revenge. Now he is having to justify his decision. Hopefully he will eventually come to realise that it is unpopular, unwarranted and unjust.

Tags: 2011 UK Riots, Justice, UK Politics