Fife villages face 'mass eviction' of 35 households

Dozens of private tenants in two small Fife villages are facing eviction within months after their new landlord announced they were selling the properties.

Families who have had tenancies for their homes in West Wemyss and Denbeath for 40 years are among 35 households known to have received the eviction notice.

Some have been given a deadline of 22 March to leave their homes, while others have been told to move out by July.

The landlord, Torah Capital, has been contacted by BBC Scotland News for comment.

It bought the properties from Wemyss Estates in September.

Ann Cation, 72, a retired headteacher, is among those facing eviction.

She said she loved the house she has been renting in West Wemyss for the past 18 years.

Cation, who is disabled, said: "We received a hand-delivered letter saying our property had been sold and we just thought they would put the rents up.

"The company bought the houses without looking at them all, they never looked at ours before they purchased it."

In November, she said she was contacted by a solicitor in Glasgow asking if they wanted to buy the four bedroom terraced house for £225,000.

Her husband Brian Cation, 74, a retired school technician who is also disabled, said they could not afford to buy the house.

Then last week they were told their house was being sold so they would be evicted.

"We feel absolutely devastated, we're absolutely gutted," he said.

"We feel bitter to be evicted from our house, especially at our age.

"I dread to think [what will happen] if we are evicted, we've had sleepless nights since we were told last week.

"We thought this would be our forever home."

Gavin Harrower, a charity worker, has been living with his wife and two children in his three-bedroom West Wemyss house for 19 years.

He had considered the arrangement under former landlord Wemyss Estates as "almost a secure tenancy".

"We've had to break the news to our children, it's the only house they have lived in," the 52-year-old said.

"We were told at the time Wemyss Estates had done due diligence on Torah Capital Limited," he added.

He said his mother-in-law and brother have also been served eviction letters.

"Not one of the three of us knows where we are going to go, we're really apprehensive because we're not all going to be rehoused by the local authority in the same area to continue with our community.

"I feel angry and I'm wondering if there was enough looking into this company before the houses were sold."

Local MSP David Torrance said the Wemyss Estates had given him assurances at the time of the sale last year that the residents could remain tenants.

"So I'm really appalled this has happened," he said. "These families have been there for generations and some have had tenancies for over 40 years.

"This many homes up for sale changes the whole demographics of a village as well. West Wemyss is a very tight community."

John Mills, Fife Council's head of housing, has confirmed that he has requested a meeting with Torah Capital ahead of planned evictions between March and July.

He said: "I spoke with affected tenants at the local MSP's surgery at the weekend, and I have assured them that the council will do everything within our legal powers to help them remain in their homes and prevent homelessness.

"I have asked for an urgent meeting with Torah Capital and I am awaiting their response."