The leader of Sutton Council has apologised for sending “crass and irresponsible” mock eviction notices to thousands of people to promote a Liberal Democrat petition. 

Ruth Dombey admitted people had been "upset" by emails sent to 15,000 people to lobby against Government housing reforms last week. 

The messages, sent from a party address, were headed with large red and black capital letters reading "eviction notice" and "notice to vacate your property". 

RELATED: Sutton Council leader Ruth Dombey branded 'crass and irresponsible' after sending thousands of people mock eviction notices

The emails then explained that “thousands of people could be receiving a notice like this as a result of the Government’s Housing and Planning Bill” and linked to a petition against the reforms.

But recipients expressed disgust and incredulity at the messages, which some said they initially took to be a genuine eviction notice, prompting Cllr Dombey to apologise.

She said: “We sent out the email to talk about the consequences of the Housing and Planning Bill, but I recognise that by sending an email with the subject eviction notice, we may have upset a few people and I can only apologise for that.

“We received a lot of support for our message that far outnumbered the negative comments and when you do open the email and read it is clear what we are saying, but that does not take away from the fact that people were upset and I can only apologise. It was not our intention to do that.”

The messages are understood to have been sent to everyone on the Sutton Lib Dems mailing list.

Louise Garwood, who received the email on April 25, said: "For the first 30 seconds I thought I was losing my home and didn't have a clue as to why. 

"I understand Councillor Ruth Dombey is trying to make a point but how many other residents of the borough are going to be suffering harm and upset due to the way the beginning of the email is worded?

"I think it is an utter disgrace and I would be interested to know how many other residents were upset for a few seconds as well."

The National Landlord Association condemned the emails earlier this week as displaying a "grave lack of judgment" and called on Cllr Dombey to apologise.

Chris Norris, head of policy, public affairs and research, said: “This is a shockingly crass and irresponsible email for any elected official to send, let alone a council leader.

“Tenants will have been given heart palpitations reading the subject line and banner, only to then find it is a party political stunt.

“Councillor Dombey should publicly apologise for what we believe is a grave lack of judgement from such a senior local figure.”

The Housing and Planning Bill contains wide-ranging reforms, including proposals to force local authorities to sell some council houses, the abolition of lifetime social housing tenancy and the construction of discounted "starter homes".

But opponents claim it would drive up rents, price out most first-time buyers and reduce councils' ability to build new homes.

The bill has been passed back and forth between MPs and the House of Lords, which last week tabled 13 amendments, as the Government looks to get it written into law before the end of the current Parliamentary session next week.