Notices to quit aren’t being sent ‘willy-nilly’ to those in emergency accommodation

By Simon Bourke, Wexford People

Wexford County Council (WCC) has reiterated its intention to issue exit notices to those living in emergency accommodation who aren’t looking for “viable alternatives” for their housing needs.

At the May meeting of WCC, Councillor Tom Forde submitted a motion asking that the council’s housing staff “desist from issuing exit notices” to people in emergency accommodation “who have been abiding by” the council’s terms.

That motion was carried and, at the June meeting of WCC, Cllr Forde was keen to ensure it was being adhered to.

“The practise of sending notices to quit to those in emergency accommodation, has this been discontinued?” he asked director of housing Carolyne Godkin.

Reminding Cllr Forde that a requirement for anyone living in emergency accommodation was that they seek viable alternatives on the housing market, Ms Godkin said the council did not issue letters carte blanche.

“The letters aren’t issued where people are in compliance of the support they are being given,” she said. “They are issued where people are not making enough of an effort to find housing, we don’t issue them willy-nilly.”