Liverpool 'Welsh Street' dad relieved as eviction threat dropped
Mr Johnson and his wife Ithalia, 46, moved into their terraced house six years ago.Two months ago, the family received an email from Placefirst, notifying them that they were being given a "no-fault" eviction notice.Mr Johnson said that while they had fallen behind with their rent during the pandemic, they had paid their £2,500 arrears off in full earlier this year.Despite Mr Johnson's pleas, however, the company refused to revoke the eviction notice.As a result, they faced a showdown in court last week.Ahead of the hearing, though, an agreement was reached between them.The no-fault eviction notice was deemed invalid due to "an administrative error" that had been made in 2017.PlaceFirst said: "Since serving notice, the resident has taken positive steps to clear the arrears, and has demonstrated a consistent commitment to meeting their rent obligations going forward."
Beatles attraction
Mr Johnson told the Local Democracy Reporting Service the settlement was "really good news". "It shows what you can do when you stand up for yourself," he said.The Welsh Streets in Toxteth are one of the few remaining "original" tourist attractions for Beatles fans in Liverpool.They include the birthplace of Fab Four drummer Ringo Starr, who grew up in Madryn Street, which is three streets away from Voelas Road.Ringo's former home and hundreds of others in the area were built by Welsh workers in the late 19th Century.The properties were facing demolition eight years ago before members of the local community rallied to save them.Andy's late father Chris, a well-known journalist in Liverpool, was among their vocal supporters.
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