The landlord behind a last minute decision to issue a family with a no fault eviction notice, days before they became unlawful, has issued a new brief statement.
Linsey Reeves and her husband were served a Section 21 Eviction notice following a long battle to get issues in the flat, over the road from Holy Trinity Church, sorted.
The landlord did not have to provide a reason for their actions, but under the new Renters’ Rights Act as from May 1st 2026 that couldn’t happen any more.
The family’s 3 bed flat is managed by Holy Trinity Properties Trust, which funds the religious work of the Holy Trinity Church. It’s an independent organisation and it’s not run by church officers.
Linsey Reeves said she doesn’t know why her family were being evicted, but they had raised various issues with the maintenance of the Victorian property, including repeatedly asking for windows to be repaired.
The trust has said it was acting on the advice of the letting agents, Linley and Simpson in Ripon. The Property Ombudsman found in the family’s favour over an issue with them in May 2025.
Robert Thew, chair of the Holy Trinity Properties Trust texted a brief statement to YorkMix which read : “Holy Trinity Properties Trust is a small charitable trust which administers four adjoining flats in Ripon. It aims to let these at more affordable rates and it’s trustees are unpaid volunteers.
“In recent years an extensive programme of refurbishment of the flat has been undertaken and this work is ongoing.”
The family agree that some work has been done but many issues remain.
Robert Thew’s statement continued: “We are aware that there has been an amount of media interest in recent weeks but in order to respect the privacy of all our tenants we believe it would be unethical to comment any further or to provide information on individual tenancies”
He declined an opportunity to put the Trust’s case on YorkMix Radio this Sunday evening.
The family have been told to leave by the 1st July, when their notice period ends. But as there is nowhere to go, housing officers at the council have said they should stay put and let the trust take legal action to get a court order to evict them.
A petition was been set up to put pressure on the Trust and the Church (Not directly involved) at this link.
The petition was started by John Richmond, a Freeman of the City, former mayor and recipient of the British Empire Medal for services to the community in the Queen’s 2021 New Year’s Honours.
He said: “I couldn’t believe my ears when I heard that a charity called Holy Trinity Properties Trust, whose activities are listed as ’furthering the religious and other charitable work of Holy Trinity Church’ is going to make a family of six with four children, the oldest of whom is autistic, homeless with a so-called ‘no fault’ eviction notice.
“It’s time for worshippers at Holy Trinity Church, from the vicar in his pulpit to parishioners in their pews, to start seeing the light once more and begin listening to the word of God and what their consciences must also be telling them.
Linsey Reeves will tell her full story on YorkMix Radio in an interview that airs at 10pm on Sunday 14 June. We will be hearing about the issues she and her family have faced living there and why finding a new home is proving impossible.
Linley and Simpson does not comment on individual tenancies.
