Oldham council have 'made my life a living hell'

A woman from Oldham, living with a range of debilitating conditions says Oldham Council have left her upset and desperate after being on the housing list for NINE years.

Sharon Muhammed, from Hollinwood, sleeps on a two-seater sofa and uses a commode in the kitchen, because she cannot climb the stairs in her property on Hollins Road.

“I live downstairs, with a small bowl and facecloth to keep myself clean, as I cannot get to the upstairs bathroom.  I have been on the housing list with Oldham Council for nine years, and in all that time, I have never been offered a suitable property”

Sharon, who suffers from severe agoraphobia as well as post-traumatic stress disorder says her life has become a “living hell”.

“I’m living with a fractured leg, and horrendous back pain, and I can’t move in the same way as I used to.  This wait for a suitable house is make me so poorly.  I already suffer from anxiety and depression, and I know I’ll end up in hospital with panic attacks”.

There was hope that Sharon would be moved last year having bid on a property on Argus Street, but administration errors made the whole move a disaster.

“I finally got chosen for a new home in October last year and was excited about finally getting a suitable place to live.  However, I discovered that Oldham Council hadn’t passed on my medical information to the housing association, and within days I had a fall trying to climb the steep stairs".

“I was so looking forward to settling into my new property, but it just wasn’t to be.”

Sharon immediately called her old landlord, who agreed she could move back into her old property.   

Oldham Council say Sharon's information was readily available to the housing association.

Now Sharon is appealing to Oldham Council to look again at her housing conditions, worried that the living arrangements are exacerbating her illnesses, and leading to bouts of severe depression and hopelessness.

“The council say I’m a high-priority case, and yet every time I lose a bid on a home, I’m told I am not high-priority enough.  I cannot win at all.

“It’s not a palace I want, just a home, without stairs, to enable me to wash, sleep and use the toilet with some dignity.”

Councillor Hannah Roberts, Cabinet Member for Housing, told the Chronicle: “I am very sorry to hear of the problems Ms Muhammed has had and that her new home proved to be unsuitable for her. I apologise for the distress this experience has caused.

“With all cases, we do our best to match a resident’s needs with a suitable home. However, as there is a very high demand for social housing in Oldham, this unfortunately means we cannot always provide a preferred location or preferred type of property for every resident.

“That is why we advise all applicants to visit the properties they have bid on to ensure they are suitable for their needs, should they decide to move in.  

“While this didn’t happen in this particular case, we are aware of Ms Muhammed’s current situation and are working with her once again to find a suitable new home that better meets her needs.”

---

Do you have a story for us? Want to tell us about something going on in and around Oldham? Let us know by emailing news@oldham-chronicle.co.uk , calling our Oldham-based newsroom on 0161 633 2121 , tweeting us @oldhamchronicle or messaging us through our Facebook page. All contact will be treated in confidence.