Deptford Fitness Entrepreneur Confronts Potential Homelessness in Legal Dispute with Charity Landlord
A South London business owner is embroiled in a distressing legal battle that threatens to leave her homeless and jeopardise the community-focused fitness enterprise she established with her life savings. Kim Mansell, the proprietor of Après London, a hybrid fitness studio operating from a repurposed railway arch in Deptford, faces an imminent court hearing that will determine whether her eviction from her home of five years will proceed.
Community Business Built from Passion Now Under Threat
Kim Mansell launched Après London independently in February 2025, transforming a disused railway arch into a vibrant fitness hub that operates classes six days weekly. Having abandoned a successful marketing career to pursue her vision, she invested her entire savings to create what she describes as a community-centric space dedicated to helping local residents achieve their health and fitness objectives regardless of their starting point.
"I opened this business last year on my own with no funding or support; the whole premise of this is to build a local community," Kim explained to the Local Democracy Reporting Service. "I give every waking minute to the business and to the people here." Her venture has successfully fostered a new gym community that brings Deptford residents together through shared fitness pursuits.
Section 21 Eviction Notice Casts Shadow Over Business and Home
The promising trajectory of Kim's business has been overshadowed by a looming court date that could result in her eviction from her flat. Last summer, her landlord served her with a Section 21 'no-fault' eviction notice, plunging her life into uncertainty. Kim fears that losing her court case next month would render her homeless, unable to support herself financially, and incapable of sustaining her fledgling business.
"I will literally be homeless, I will be homeless with a lot of stuff and I would lose half of my possessions," Kim stated with palpable anxiety. "Not having somewhere to live puts extra emotional stress on me which impacts the way I'm able to run my business and the amount of money that I'm able to make and how I can grow." The situation has already taken a significant toll on her mental and physical wellbeing.
Landlord is Homelessness Charity 999 Club
Adding complexity to the situation, Kim's landlord is the 999 Club, a charity dedicated to supporting people facing homelessness in the local area. The charity owns several properties that it rents out privately, with a spokesperson previously clarifying that these rental operations are separate from its homelessness services and provide essential income for the organisation's charitable work.
According to housing experts, Section 21 notices represent one of the primary drivers of homelessness across the United Kingdom. These 'no-fault' evictions permit landlords to remove tenants without providing specific justification for their decision.
Timing Coincides with Legislative Changes
The timing of Kim's eviction notice is particularly noteworthy as it precedes the implementation of the new Renters' Rights Act, which will prohibit no-fault evictions from 1st May 2026. Under the forthcoming legislation, private landlords will require legitimate reasons to evict tenants, such as property sale intentions or significant rent arrears.
Kim expressed strong criticism regarding her landlord's actions: "I personally think it's an abuse of power to be able to do that to somebody under the guise of this act [coming into force], which they should categorically not be using, as a charity for the homeless. You shouldn't be using it, the Government in this country has literally come out and said, 'we're going to change the law', and the 999 Club has gone 'great, we're going to use it quickly'. It's disgusting to behave like that and to not be engaging in any conversation with me."
Dispute Over Rent Arrears and Communication Breakdown
Following her initial eviction date, Kim alleges she discovered her flat advertised online with a monthly rent increase of £250, though she notes this advertisement has since been removed. The 999 Club previously stated they would not issue notices solely to increase rents and denied requesting the property's re-advertisement.
A court order reviewed by reporters indicates the charity is pursuing legal action against Kim regarding alleged rent arrears. Kim has contested the claimed amount and maintains that despite multiple attempts to contact the charity to resolve the matter outside court, she has received no substantive response.
"It feels like you're being shut out and you're just totally powerless because you haven't got any of the facts that apparently they are basing this decision on so you have no way of defending yourself, explaining yourself or even being able to see if they've got something wrong or they've got some misinformation," Kim lamented. "It makes you feel like you must have done something so bad that you must be such an awful person to be deserving of this."
Charity Funding and Council Involvement
The 999 Club received nearly £80,000 in funding from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government in 2023, with support from Lewisham Council, to redevelop its Deptford centre and enhance services for homeless individuals. Kim has raised concerns about her situation and this funding allocation with local council representatives.
When approached for comment, the 999 Club referred to previous statements: "To protect privacy, the 999 Club cannot comment on individual tenancies. The properties are managed on our behalf by an external managing agent, and tenants are appropriately directed to the managing agent for any support or enquiries." The charity emphasised that significant property decisions are never taken lightly and are made with advice from managing agents and independent legal counsel.
Spokespeople for both Lewisham Council and the housing charity Shelter confirmed they are unable to comment on Kim's specific case, citing confidentiality considerations.
