A whistleblower praised by Jeremy Corbyn for exposing how a housing association for vulnerable people tried to evict a dying man because of his “negative impact” on a proposed sale has himself been threatened with eviction from the same property.

Rory Graham died from bladder cancer in November after being told by his landlord, Peter Bedford Housing Association (PBHA), which specialises in supporting excluded adults, that his continued occupation of his north London home for 24 years was “delaying the sale”.

Before he died Graham, a retired biochemist with mental health problems, said he was being bullied and pestered to move by PBHA. Speaking to the Ham & High local newspaper, he said: “I assumed they would lay off when I was collapsing with cancer, but they didn’t.”

Rory Graham in his home. Photograph: Iain Burns/Archant

Graham’s plight was highlighted by Andrew Stanney, a former nurse who helped care for him in his final days and lives in one of the other eight flats in the converted house that PBHA is still trying to sell. Corbyn, who represents the neighbouring constituency, personally thanked Stanney for raising concerns about the case.

After Stanney admitted to a PBHA official that he had contacted the media about his neighbour’s treatment, with Graham’s approval, he was warned he could also be evicted.

It comes at time of growing concerns about poorer households being driven out of desirable areas by housing associations. The house, which is now worth up to £3m, is believed to have been donated to PBHA in the 1960s.

Stanney is one of seven property guardians, who, as well as paying rent, currently occupy the house to help prevent vandalism, squatting and disrepair. Just before Christmas, Global Guardians, which manages the contract for PBHA as it tries to sell the home, warned him that he was in breach of the agreement by talking to the press.

In reply, Stanney said he felt duty bound to raise concerns about Graham’s plight.

He said: “Having supported vulnerable adults my whole lifetime, it was clear the duress Rory was under. His own eviction was contributing to his fight against cancer. Whilst I am aware of a non-disclosure case in my contract, I am also duty-bound to report issues around vulnerable adults.”

‘It was clear the duress Rory was under,’ Andrew Stanney. Photograph: Martin Godwin/The Guardian

When Stanney asked whether Global Guardians planned to evict him for breach of contract, it urged him to “refrain from discussing any details about the property owner or Global Guardians as this would attract unnecessary attention”. It also asked him to disclose what he had revealed.

The company denied it had threatened him with eviction and insisted it had only reminded him of contractual obligations.

Stanney told the Guardian he was aware of the risk of speaking out. But he added: “What happened to Rory was so moving, I just think sod this: if they try to evict me, I’ll just scream louder.”

A local group, Heathview housing co-operative, is trying to persuade PBHA to allow it to manage the flats. Jessica Jacobs, the chair of Heathview, who met Graham before he died, said the property should return to social housing as a tribute to him.

In a letter to PBHA, she said: “We all left feeling so sad that Rory would soon be ending his life with the same feeling of precariousness that he had first come to the housing association with … his legacy should not be lost.”

Clare Norton, PBHA’s chief executive, said selling the house would help it invest in its other 270 properties and develop homes for people in need.

She pointed out that the association offered Graham alternative flats before he died. “I don’t accept that we did pester and bully him. I do accept that it was distressing for Mr Graham, and that was very unfortunate,” she said.

“We are a charity and it is incumbent on organisations who find themselves in difficult financial circumstances to maximise the resources that we have to help as many people as possible. We are not going to be able to achieve those things if we don’t sell that property.”



Norton denied that PBHA had asked that Stanney be evicted for talking to the press and promised to look into his circumstances.