ANGRY States tenants have accused Housing of ruthlessness after being sent eviction notices out of the blue. Numerous people have contacted the Guernsey Press alarmed by the news that they must vacate their premises in four months.

Those couples with combined earnings of more than £442 per week, before tax, are not eligible to live in a States house. But many think that given the sky-high rents in the private sector, it will be impossible to find another home.

And most cannot believe they have been given such short notice.

‘I’m absolutely devastated,’ said Sonia Le Prevost, 50. ‘I’m really upset because it’s splitting up my family now. And there was no warning – that’s the worst bit.’

Mrs Le Prevost, a bedmaker at the King Edward VII Hospital, lives with her husband and two sons, aged 22 and 24, in a three-bedroom house. They have been States tenants since 1992 after their previous accommodation was closed by Environmental Health.

The parents’ weekly earnings have been calculated by the department as £577.95, which includes overtime. But their joint gross basic wage is just £515.35.

Mrs Le Prevost has been to every estate agent in the island but cannot find anywhere within her rental budget of £650 a month.

‘And we cannot buy property because we are in our 50s and wouldn’t get a loan.’

The Guernsey Housing Association, which lets homes to people with a joint income of less than £700 per week, has a two-year waiting list.

‘They’re encouraging people not to work,’ she said. ‘They won’t want to work, because if they do, then they’ll be thrown out.’

Housing minister Dave Jones said no one would be turned out into the street.

‘If people can prove they aren’t able to find anywhere they can afford, then we will look to review their case,’ he said. ‘Each one is treated on its merits. We look at factors such as whether they have medical problems or if they are nearing retirement age.

‘We’re not picking on the people who are earning marginally over the limit, but we can’t have a situation whereby houses are being underoccupied when there are people in great need of them.’

Overtime was factored in if it had been consistently earned over a 12-month period.

The move to evict residents follows the department’s five-year tenancy review, which started in 2005. Last year, from among 98 reviews, 42 people were sent eviction notices.

Mrs Le Prevost said that at least four households on her estate had received such a letter in the past few weeks and many more were expecting one in the post.

Her neighbour, Janet Hook, said the States was being thoughtless.

‘They don’t care about anyone,’ said the 55-year-old who works with the disabled. ‘I think it’s disgusting the way they’ve handled it.

‘We’ve just put in new carpets and curtains – it was a doss-hole when we moved in seven years ago. Before that, we had to live in the Bouet for three years, which was absolute hell.’

Mrs Hook, who lives with her husband, a nurse, had expected to be moved to a smaller States home. ‘I never would have thought we would get thrown out,’ she said.

Janet and Richard Ogier, 52 and 58 respectively, who live on an estate neighbouring Mrs Le Prevost’s, applied for States housing 17 years ago. They were told at the time that they would be moved to a smaller States-owned property when the time came.

‘We knew we had to come out, but we were not expecting this,’ said Mr Ogier, who is employed by States Works.

‘There’s only a certain number of flats in our price range and you need a month’s deposit. All our money has gone into the house.’

Many were also concerned that the increased demand for private-sector flats would push prices even higher.

Deputy Jones said residents could appeal against the decision through an independent tribunal, although many had accepted it and had found privately owned accommodation.