Harry Redknapp gives eviction notice to needy tenants for huge property deal

Millionaire Harry Redknapp has come under fire for leaving 29 vulnerable bedsit ­tenants facing homelessness as his company makes a fortune on a property deal.

Their worried landlady called on him to cough up some of his £500,000 winnings from I’m A Celebrity to save them from a life on the streets.

Good Samaritan Wendy Hunt, who rents the property and sub-lets rooms to the destitute at the Belgravia Hotel in Bournemouth, has been served an eviction notice by the former soccer boss.

It means she and her tenants must be gone by May 6 so work can start on converting the building into money-spinning luxury flats.

Wendy, 81, said: “I’ve got 29 people here. All of them will be homeless . We did try to get Harry to give them something to help them, but that was turned down.

“A lot of them are vulnerable. They’ve been here years. I took them without deposits because they were on the streets, so now they won’t have money for a deposit somewhere new.

“Can’t he do something with the money he won on I’m a Celebrity? He got a lot for that, on top of the money he’s already got. My poor people have got nothing.”

The revelation comes just weeks after Harry, 71, was pictured handing the jam roly-poly puddings that he raved about on I’m A Celebrity to rough sleepers.

One tenant Joanne White, 50, said: “We’ve sent Harry letters, and not heard anything back. All we want to know is if he’s actually aware of what this is going to do to us.”

Another, Edward Hyde, 50, added: “We just don’t want to be made ­homeless. This isn’t a vendetta. It’s not about us against him. He’s got every right to do what he wants to do.”

Wendy and husband Gerry have run the Belgravia as homes for vulnerable people with no deposits, references or guarantors since 1988.

Their tenants pay just £100 a week including bills. Similar accommodation nearby costs more than double – and local homeless services are believed to be full.

In 2016, Pierfront Developments – with former West Ham and Spurs manager Redknapp and his wife Sandra as directors – bought the property from the owner for £1.25million.

The local council turned down plans to demolish the hotel – but it’s set to give the go-ahead on Tuesday to proposals to convert the inside of the building to 14 flats and build five mews houses on surrounding land.

Sub-tenant Edward told us he moved in three and a half years ago after losing his job as a hospital porter.

He said he did not qualify for support from Bournemouth Council because he was not a high priority candidate. Wendy and Gerry offered him a room after an outreach worker suggested the Belgravia.

He said: “There’s nowhere in this town where you could move in without references, a deposit, and all of that.

“You’ve got to be perfect to move in somewhere and be a key holder. You also need ­thousands of pounds.

“We don’t know how we’re going to raise enough money. We want to know support is going to be there. We want to be resettled. We don’t want to be on the streets.”

Trevor Simpson, who moved in after leaving prison, said: “No-one really cares about homeless people. It’s the same across the whole country.

“Wendy will take anyone here. It doesn’t matter who you are, she’ll help you if you help yourself, and give you a roof over your head.

“We’ve put objections to the council, but we can’t stop it. All we want is for the council to sit down with Harry, talk things through and let us know where we stand so we can find somewhere to go.

“There is nowhere else. Even the ASDA car park plays bagpipe music all night to keep people away. Nobody will take anyone without guarantors. Who’s going to guarantee us?

“I couldn’t live on the street. It would physically kill me. I know eight people who died last year.”

Tenants will be given a month’s notice to leave in writing at the start of April.

They can be forgiven for feeling upset by pictures of Harry feeding homeless people at Bournemouth’s Sacred Heart church just a mile and a half away from the Belgravia on December 20.

The star grinned as he said: “It’s all getting eaten.”

Trevor added: “Harry gave out jam roly-poly over Christmas and opened a charity shop the other week. But he’s not come here and spoken to us.”

Fellow tenant Joanne said: “I don’t think he’s really taken on board how serious a problem it’s going to be.”

Anton Oosthuizen, 58, who moved in after sleeping rough, said: “We don’t blame him.

“We just want some help to find somewhere else to live. We don’t want to stop his venture. We wish him all the best. We’ve sent our letters to him recorded delivery. Why won’t he listen to us?”

A design and access statement by a planning consultant hired by Pierfront states the Belgravia “has been converted to provide self-contained bedsit accommodation. The proposals would formalise the existing residential use and ensure a high standard of residential accommodation can be provided.”

A letter sent by Pierfront Developments Limited to Wendy and Gerry Hunt in January says: “Please provide confirmation your clients will immediately provide possession on May 6, 2019.”

Bournemouth Borough Council said: “We would urge all residents who think they are at risk of homelessness to make contact with the council’s Housing Options Team as soon as possible.

“Our officers will help them look at rehousing options and make sure they maintain contact with the leaseholder of this property to help enable these timely discussions.”

A source told us the application had been delegated to planning officers so, although it has yet to be formally agreed, it was highly unlikely it would be refused.

A spokesman for Redknapp’s firm said: “I can confirm Pierfront Developments completed the purchase of the Belgravia Hotel in 2016 with Mr/Mrs Hunt being sitting tenants.

“Pierfront Developments have a lease in place with Mr and Mrs Hunt, and from Pierfront Developments’ understanding the tenants sub-let the main hotel.

“In August 2018 Mr and Mrs Hunt signed a consent order, and notice was served in February to vacate the property by May 6. All legal proceedings were dealt with by both representatives’ solicitors.”

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