Debt advice charity evicted over unpaid bills

An Essex debt advice charity has been evicted from its own offices because of unpaid bills. Earlier this week staff from Harlow Welfare Rights and Advice found the locks changed at their offices.

Harlow Council said it had taken action because it was owed £125,000 by the charity, which provides debt advice, work, housing and welfare services.



But the charity accused the council of "inflexibility" over a possible repayment plan. Chairman of the charity's trustees Les Coben said the council did not inform the service about taking back the building. "Last year alone, we had 10,000 clients.

"One thousand of them were quite complex cases and we've got back for them £1.7m which they would have lost out on. The residents in Harlow are definitely going to suffer," he said. But the council said it gained lawful access to the property and was now trying to find an alternative use for the building.