'I lost my Birmingham business and my landlord changed the locks - it was everything'

Yahoo

4 days ago

A popular Birmingham business owner has told of how she "lost everything" in a devastating three-month period.
Rubi Das once ran a thriving vintage stall in Birmingham's Oasis Market in Priory Square shopping centre, which closed suddenly in March 2025.
What followed was a perfect storm of misfortune for Rubi, who, shortly after losing her stall, was served with a Section 21 notice, which allows landlords to evict tenants without a reason within eight weeks, in what is known as a no-fault eviction.
Watch the full video interview with Rubi at the top of this story.
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Within a matter of months, Rubi had lost her home and livelihood of ten years - Roobs Vintage.
"I was made homeless by a Section 21 by my landlord, not because I was in any debt but because he wanted to take back the flat.
"I was in a flat for ten years in Great Barr. He wanted to sell it" said Rubi.
Her hair catches the blazing sun as she details the struggle that followed.
"I lost my stall I was under a lot of distress when I moved here.
"I was known for selling corsets to TV companies , I did quite a lot, everybody knew it."
Rubi said the week where she and other businesses were told to leave the markets brought "shock and devastation."
She is now rebuilding her life with the help of Tabor Living in Birmingham, a homeless accommodation that helps the 'working homeless'.
Nestled in the former priest quarters of St Catherine of Siena church on Bristol Street, the organisation moved here in 2023 and gives accommodation and mentoring in partnership with Father Hudson's Care.
Birmingham-born Rubi is one of three women who live alongside 12 men at Tabor living.
All have passed a rigorous assessment to get a space here.
After failing to get help from the council, Rubi said a homeless charity referred her to Tabor.
"He said there was a really nice lady called Bella, I got a phone call saying come down for an interview.
"I arrived on June 9 2025 I was very nervous but when I came here everything changed, I was treated with respect.
"I started feeling settled after a few weeks."
Case worker Bella Birch explained: "We look for people who are really looking to move on and for this kind of support.
"Those who need the space and time to build their finances.
"You can see things reflected in society come through here, for example Section 21, which we were not seeing a year ago. That can spiral into everything else."
Rubi graduated from the sleeping pods in her first month to the 'move-on' rooms upstairs at Tabor, where she pays £400 a month.
"Losing my business and house, I was very stressed" said Rubi.
"People think when you are homeless that's it, but it's not.
"A lot of people give up, it's made me determined in my situation that I have been in.
"When I lost my flat, I lost everything. When I came here I didn't have much.
"They changed the locks on the flat, I took pictures of my family and left.
"Section 21 needs to change, it should be abolished."
No-fault evictions by bailiffs in England have risen by 8 percent in the 12 months since Labour came into Government, new data shows.
The party has pledged to end no-fault evictions under its Renters' Rights Bill, which is in the final stages of going through Parliament.
Shelter branded it 'unconscionable' that renters 'continue to be marched out of their homes by bailiffs' a year after Labour came to power.
On her time at Oasis Market, Rubi recalled: "Customers would travel far out to see me, it was an iconic building.
"I have been saving money, I am determined to get somewhere. There is light at the end of the tunnel."
Oasis Market in Priory Square in Birmingham closed indefinitely in March 'until further notice' due to a "fire safety risk."
The iconic markets were mecca for alternative shoppers and home to a host of independent traders for 54 years.
As it stands, Priory Square and Oasis Market remain closed indefinitely.
BirminghamLive put Rubi's situation to Hammerson, the owner of Priory Square and market.
A Hammerson spokesperson said: 'As part of the ongoing management of Priory Square, the decision was made to close indefinitely following careful review of findings from the annual fire risk assessment.
"Unfortunately, the improvements required to mitigate the level of identified risk are materially beyond what is reasonably practicable to implement, and the only option was to close Priory Square indefinitely. This difficult decision was not one taken lightly but was made with the safety of all tenants and members of the public in mind as a priority'.