Eviction postponed for 'grateful' Blackpool woman who has also spoke out in support of her letting agency following negative comments

Grateful Alison Parry, 63, has also spoken out in support of her letting agent after the firm was hit with a wave of negative comments after her story first appeared in The Gazette last week.

Alison, of Red Bank Road in Bispham, received notice of eviction on March 21 – just two days before the country went into lockdown – and was told to be out by June 3.

Despite being stunned by the letter, she said she understood Letting Solutions, which sent it, had been “trapped in the middle”. The firm was acting instructions from the landlord, who has since postponed the eviction.

Alison said: “I have been extremely grateful for the messages of support from readers.

“It is nice to know there are people with so much goodwill out there.

“I would like though to emphasise that despite my upset and anxieties over my current situation, I have nothing to complain about with regard to the letting agency that are trapped in the middle of this.”

She said the firm had always been “courteous and professional”.

Alison added that she had been upset to hear the firm had been the target of “negative comments and even abuse”.

Louise Darbyshire, of Letting Solutions, said both herself and the company had received “very unpleasant, negative feedback on social media” despite only acting on the instructions of the client.

She said: “Once Letting Solutions became aware of this new legislation, we advised the landlord to rescind the notice and instructions were received to do that.

“A letter was forwarded to the tenant advising her that the tenancy will not be terminated.

“In addition I had already reassured the tenant, Ms Parry, that my company would help find her alternative accommodation.”

She added: “We have always had and continue to have a good relationship with the tenant, and we have stayed in contact with her throughout the last few weeks.”

On March 18, three days before Alison said she received the eviction letter, housing secretary Robert Jenrick announced plans to introduce an emergency law to prevent renters being forced out of their homes during the pandemic. On March 23, Prime Minister Boris Johnson instructed people not to leave their homes.