Hundreds of strangers help save couple from eviction after YouTube appeal

Hundreds of strangers helped stop a couple being evicted from their home of 25 years after an emotional YouTube appeal.

Around 250 supporters showed up outside the home of Tom Crawford, and his wife Susan, in Carlton, Nottingham, on Wednesday.

Mr Crawford, who is battling prostate cancer, is involved in a long-running legal dispute with defunct building society Bradford and Bingley over his mortgage.

The 63-year-old maintains he paid off the last of his mortgage in 2013, but bailiffs say he still owes £43,000 in repayments.  The retired flooring specialist said he took out an endowment mortgage in 1988 for £41,800, but the bank claimed there was no record of this and say he was just paying off the interest of his loan.

In response, Mr Crawford made a YouTube video offering anyone who joined his protest a “warm cup of tea” on arrival.

“Please come and help us. But don’t use violence. They are the ones who use violence. This is a war for the people,” he said in the video.  “It may only be a small bungalow, but it is my bungalow, my land, my home.”

Hundreds of supporters, from as far afield as Glasgow, arrived at the property on Wednesday after Mr Crawford’s daughter shared the video on Facebook.

Bailiffs were forced to call off the planned eviction after a 90-minute standoff.  UK Asset Resolutions Limited, on behalf of Bradford and Bingley, said Nottinghamshire Police advised them not to carry out the repossession because of safety concerns.

A thankful Mr Crawford said: “The warmth and generosity is simply remarkable in this day and age.”

Lone Wolf wrote:
   FANCY a "defunct" building society still have an operating debt-recovery division !!!  EVEN when they're chasing apparent 'phantom' debts that don't even exist anymore !!  WHY do I 'smell a rat' there somewhere?

AND how evil are those bailiffs working for a "defunct" company ~ aren't the courts aware anymore that they should be giving some considerations to actual justice ?

AND the local constabulary did their level best to uphold the average British police's reputation as a bunch of ignorant dullards..   ::resmahauth:: 

moll wrote:
My recent experience of the police is that they are on the side of law abiding citizens but their hands are tied, they are frustrated that we are at the mercy of criminals, whatever form they come in, the fact they advised the bailiffs not to go ahead says a lot, I think.

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