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Red tape sparks eviction threat
Reporter: RICHARD HOOTON
Date online: 03 February 2010
Home of 38 years at risk
A SHAW man says he is facing eviction from his home of 38 years because the elderly parents he cared for have had to go into nursing homes.
Gary Day (50) wants to change the tenancy of the two-bed house in Oswald Street to his name to enable him to stay — but First Choice Homes Oldham (FCHO) say rules make this impossible.
Despite suffering three heart attacks and angina himself, Mr Day has cared for parents William (88) and Esther (83), who have both suffered strokes and dementia, for seven years.
But their health deteriorated so much he was forced to let them go into care homes and was shocked to find this means he can’t stay in the family home. He approached FCHO three years ago and had been assured he would be able to stay in such a situation.
Mr Day said: “If it had been a single tenancy there would not have been a problem, it’s because it’s a joint tenancy. The legal stand is that you can change the tenancy once in a lifetime but they say I don’t meet the criteria for living here on my own.
“It’s got to the stage where I will have to bring one of them home.
“I would willingly have my mum and dad home tomorrow, I have gone through hell for seven years and would go through it all again, but I have been told I can’t because of how bad they are.”
His dad, who has severe dementia, is at Total Care, Chadderton and his mum, who has suffered three strokes that have left her partially deaf and blind and struggling to walk or speak, is at Franklin House, Oldham.
Mr Day said: “Because they have been together for nearly 70 years I really did not want to split them up but the way it’s gone they have to be apart.
“This rent has never once been in arrears in 38 years. For the last seven years as a carer I did not ask for any help and suffered alone with two dementia patients who have had strokes. I have not had a penny, not even carer’s benefits.
“I have saved the council the cost of full-time care for the last seven years and the way they pay me is to kick me out of a house I have been in for 38 years. I think it absolutely stinks. I find it totally inhumane how they can treat someone like this.
“They are not interested in the fact that I have had three heart attacks. At the moment I’m extremely stressed.”
Council leader Howard Sykes has been fighting his case along with the Citizens’ Advice Bureau.
Mr Day says it’s unlikely to be the first time it’s happened, adding: “Other people need to be made aware if they are in this situation they need to get it sorted out as soon as they can.”
Steve Yorke, FCHO’s management and operations director, said as long as Mr Day’s parents are alive and the rent is paid then Mr Day can stay at the property.
But he conceded if it was deemed that the parents could not return then FCHO would have to work with Mr Day to find alternative accommodation.
He said succession laws and the council’s allocation policy mean the tenancy can only be assigned to either of the parents on the death of the other and not Mr Day.
These are designed to ensure that scarce housing stock is best utilised to go to the most in need — so, for example, a single man is not living in a three-bed house while a family is stuck on a waiting list.
He stressed Mr Day would not be thrown out on the street and would be rehoused. A local manager will visit him to find a solution.
Comments
This is inhumane, you can bet that they would do it if they wanted to, or if they found a politically correct reason. More typically bad administration by the public sector
For Gods sake leave this man alone, this is his HOME your talking about, hes not just turned up out of the blue to lay claim to the property. Why should he be rehoused possibly in an unfamiliar area just because hes single. Another case of, be a decent person, pay your bills, look after your family, and get treated like ****, its not his fault theres a house shortage.
"then again im actually against council houses altogether.
they should only be there as a temporary home until you can get on the housing ladder".By fedupoldhamer.
Thats a very interesting opinion you have fedupoldhamer, tell me 'are you a full time or part time MORON?.
Does Gary not realise being a single British white male he is so far down our loopy councils priority ladder he may as well be underground. The fact he has paid 38 years of rent and lovingly cared for his parents means nothing whatsoever to them. Maybe he should change his race, register as a refugee or churn out numerous illigitimate children all on the expense of the taxpayer, that should see him soar straight to the top!
Known you a long time Gary, right from schooldays at East Crompton. Hope it works out for you.
It's great these days isn't it, you try and do right by your parents and do the decent thing. Bang - the prawns that run Oldham Council come along and whip the carpet from under your feet. Perhaps if he went to Eastern Europe for a week or two, he could come back and claim the whole of the Oswald Street estate and have no worries at all!!!
As long as FCHO find this man decent alternative accomodation what's the problem? A lone tenant in a two/three bedroom house is a misallocation of resources.
mr day needs to strongly contest this, i know of someone whose parents have now both died. he has been allowed to carry on living in the house because he had lived there so long it is his home, so he is a single man living in a 3 bed house.
FCHO are being reasonable here: the man never had a right to succeed in this tenancy & at least he is being offered another home.
If he stayed in a 3-bed roomed house his Housing Benefit would not cover the rent as he would only be given an allowance for a 1-bed place - so how could he afford it anyway?
Good luck Gary
Totally agree with the comments from 'equalityforall'
he's lived there for 38 years with his mum and dad, it's his home
Gary if you come up against a wall of red tape then play the 'Human Rights' card, everbody else does!!
A similar thing happened in Rossendale a few years ago, but in that instance the man who was threatened with eviction was harrased so much he defended his house with a shotgun and the whole of the estate had to be evacuated. he ended up shooting his dog and then himself.
Thank you for all your comments on this people, but I need to make one thing straight. This is a very small 2 bed house not 3 as it tries to state in the report. You cannot class this as a family home it is far too small
Council housing was originally inspired to provide housing for the less fortunate to have a roof over their heads when they could not afford one.
but this was not meant to be long term permenant cheap accomodation. only the career dossers seem to have used this system to their advantage! others with morals just stick it out, save up and the buy somewhere and not drain the system!
Good Luck with this Gary, there needs to be some degree of common sense shown here by FCHO, I know this is asking a lot. Also, try to stay away from the whole dog/shotgun scenario. You seem like a nice chap. I wonder how Steve Yorke would feel in the same situation. Number of bedrooms is not the issue, this is his home we're talking about, not just a house.
council housing was originally designed to help people in the short term get a roof over their head until they could afford to buy or rent somewhere.
its just career scoungers who use these as permenant homes at very cheap or even subsidised prices all paid for by everyone who works and pays taxes into the system.
now captain jack which one are you?
Moron's never can give a proper answer back can they?
Have Your Say
there are alot of people in the council house system who are living in too big a homes than they need.
then again im actually against council houses altogether.
they should only be there as a temporary home until you can get on the housing ladder.
By fedupoldhamer @ 03/02/2010 12:52:44