- Bailiffs trying to evict cancer-stricken father over mortgage dispute forced to retreat after 500 strangers form human blockade
- By NAZIA PARVEEN
- 27/03/2015 Make a Comment
- Contributed by: MrNatural ( 11 articles in 2015 )
The bailiffs didn’t stand a chance. By the time they arrived to turf cancer patient Tom Crawford out of his home yesterday a crowd of some 500 had gathered to block their way.
For a few minutes there was a stand-off between the crowd and the burly men inside a white van and a black car.
And then, with cheers ringing in their ears, the bailiffs backed off.
It was the latest episode in Mr Crawford’s battle to keep his home. The grandfather, who is suffering from prostate cancer, has been battling the bailiffs over claims he still owes thousands in mortgage repayments on the bungalow.
Mr Crawford, 63, said he ‘would rather die’ than give up the home he has shared with his wife Susan for the past 27 years.
Last July, after he posted a video online begging for help, more than 300 friends and strangers successfully stopped bailiffs from kicking him out.
And yesterday, six months after the first eviction attempt, bailiffs were forced to abandon their efforts again.
The YouTube video has now been shared more than 25,500 times and backing for Mr Crawford’s cause shows no signs of waning, with supporters travelling hundreds of miles to join the protest outside his home in Carlton, Nottinghamshire, again.
He had been ordered to leave his property by 10.30am yesterday. But supporters began congregating in the road before 7am.
At around 11am a white transit van and black Mercedes containing the bailiffs arrived at the bungalow – only to have to drive away.
The YouTube video has now been shared more than 25,500 times and backing for Mr Crawford’s cause shows no signs of waning, with supporters travelling hundreds of miles to join the protest outside his home in Carlton, Nottinghamshire, again.
He had been ordered to leave his property by 10.30am yesterday. But supporters began congregating in the road before 7am.
At around 11am a white transit van and black Mercedes containing the bailiffs arrived at the bungalow – only to have to drive away.
Yesterday, Mr Crawford said: ‘I am humbled by all the people here. All I did was make a little video about what was happening to us and people supported it.’
Mr Crawford claims he has paid off his mortgage, which he took out with the now defunct Bradford and Bingley in 1988.
But UK Asset Resolution Limited, charged with winding down Bradford and Bingley mortgages, claims he still owes £43,000.
Last year a judge ruled against the couple and ordered them to pay off the sum or face eviction.
But the Crawfords claim that these arrears only exist because of blunder by the bank. They say they believed they were paying off their mortgage when in fact they were paying only interest.
In an effort to keep his home, the retired flooring specialist posted a video explaining his predicament on YouTube. The father-of-three said: ‘I will never leave my home. I would rather die than leave.’
Supporters called for the bailiffs to stop harassing the couple. Eric Banner, 30, who lives in Nottingham, said: ‘What has happened to Tom is a complete injustice. He has done nothing wrong.’
Tim Fleming, 69, a charity worker from Twickenham, said: ‘It is important to come and support Tom because it could be me tomorrow. We won’t be beaten.’
Mr Crawford and his wife, 54, took out an endowment mortgage to buy the bungalow for £41,800 27 years ago. They expected to own the property outright when the loan came to an end last year.
But they say the bank told him in 2007 that there was no record of him taking out an endowment, a savings plan designed to cover the debt.
He claims a bank manager then assured him this was incorrect and sent his wife flowers and champagne to apologise.
UK Asset Resolution Limited said it is discussing the ‘appropriate next step’.
For a few minutes there was a stand-off between the crowd and the burly men inside a white van and a black car.
And then, with cheers ringing in their ears, the bailiffs backed off.
It was the latest episode in Mr Crawford’s battle to keep his home. The grandfather, who is suffering from prostate cancer, has been battling the bailiffs over claims he still owes thousands in mortgage repayments on the bungalow.
Mr Crawford, 63, said he ‘would rather die’ than give up the home he has shared with his wife Susan for the past 27 years.
Last July, after he posted a video online begging for help, more than 300 friends and strangers successfully stopped bailiffs from kicking him out.
And yesterday, six months after the first eviction attempt, bailiffs were forced to abandon their efforts again.
The YouTube video has now been shared more than 25,500 times and backing for Mr Crawford’s cause shows no signs of waning, with supporters travelling hundreds of miles to join the protest outside his home in Carlton, Nottinghamshire, again.
He had been ordered to leave his property by 10.30am yesterday. But supporters began congregating in the road before 7am.
At around 11am a white transit van and black Mercedes containing the bailiffs arrived at the bungalow – only to have to drive away.
The YouTube video has now been shared more than 25,500 times and backing for Mr Crawford’s cause shows no signs of waning, with supporters travelling hundreds of miles to join the protest outside his home in Carlton, Nottinghamshire, again.
He had been ordered to leave his property by 10.30am yesterday. But supporters began congregating in the road before 7am.
At around 11am a white transit van and black Mercedes containing the bailiffs arrived at the bungalow – only to have to drive away.
Yesterday, Mr Crawford said: ‘I am humbled by all the people here. All I did was make a little video about what was happening to us and people supported it.’
Mr Crawford claims he has paid off his mortgage, which he took out with the now defunct Bradford and Bingley in 1988.
But UK Asset Resolution Limited, charged with winding down Bradford and Bingley mortgages, claims he still owes £43,000.
Last year a judge ruled against the couple and ordered them to pay off the sum or face eviction.
But the Crawfords claim that these arrears only exist because of blunder by the bank. They say they believed they were paying off their mortgage when in fact they were paying only interest.
In an effort to keep his home, the retired flooring specialist posted a video explaining his predicament on YouTube. The father-of-three said: ‘I will never leave my home. I would rather die than leave.’
Supporters called for the bailiffs to stop harassing the couple. Eric Banner, 30, who lives in Nottingham, said: ‘What has happened to Tom is a complete injustice. He has done nothing wrong.’
Tim Fleming, 69, a charity worker from Twickenham, said: ‘It is important to come and support Tom because it could be me tomorrow. We won’t be beaten.’
Mr Crawford and his wife, 54, took out an endowment mortgage to buy the bungalow for £41,800 27 years ago. They expected to own the property outright when the loan came to an end last year.
But they say the bank told him in 2007 that there was no record of him taking out an endowment, a savings plan designed to cover the debt.
He claims a bank manager then assured him this was incorrect and sent his wife flowers and champagne to apologise.
UK Asset Resolution Limited said it is discussing the ‘appropriate next step’.
Source: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2923567/Bailiffs-trying-evict-cancer-stricken-father-mortgage-blunder-forced-retreat-500-strangers-form-human-blockade-bungalow.html
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