Stop sucking life out of the country! Landlord’s rant as he refuses flat to jobless benefits couple
‘It will give her a sense of purpose’
A couple on benefits were told to ‘get a job and stop sucking the life out of the country’ by a man advertising a room to rent – who then blocked them from taking it. Maria Brindle, 25, and her partner liam Bellis had spotted a room in a shared house being advertised by Kevin parkes and contacted him on Facebook.
Miss Brindle is off work with back problems and her partner says he cannot work because of depression.
After being quizzed on why they claimed the benefits, Mr parkes, a construction worker, flatly turned them down.
‘I’m going to be absolutely blunt and up front right now,’ he said. ‘You both need to pull yourselves together and stop blaming ill health for your reason not to work’.
Mr parkes had been advertising the property in portsmouth and vetting applicants for a friend.
He questioned the pair on their disabilities to find out if they were legitimately off work, suggesting Mr Bellis, 24, had depression because ‘he has no motivation’.
The 32-year- old suggested that Miss Brindle had a bad back because she ‘doesn’t move all day’.
part of his message said: ‘Do yourselves a favour and stop sucking the life out of this country. I’m not saying this to be hateful or nasty, but it’s the truth.
‘Why should I be out of the house 12 hours a day, five days a week and pay for myself to live on this planet when you expect me to pay for your roof alongside mine.
‘If you both pulled your fingers out you might feel better about yourselves and each other.’
Yesterday he defended the social media post and said that he refused to work 12 hours a day, only for them to ‘expect [him] to pay for [their] roof alongside his’.
The father- of-two even revealed that he had broken his leg when he fell more than a month ago – but refused to claim any benefits for his three weeks off work because, he said, ‘the country is struggling enough as it is’.
He added: ‘There’s no excuse for it. I come from a housing estate. My mum and dad showed me a good work ethic.
‘But many in this country don’t have the same work ethic as me or others who work hard their whole lives. I broke my leg but I refused to claim any benefits as the country is struggling enough as it is.
‘A lot of people can’t get off their a**** and get to work. My friend claims benefits and he has never worked a day in his life.’
‘If she [the woman I messaged] can get a job then she can then feel better about herself, which is why I said it.
‘It will give her a sense of purpose in life. This woman hopefully hasn’t taken it the wrong way.’
Miss Brindle, whose partner has Asperger’s syndrome, depression and anxiety, said she was disappointed by the response. She said he has difficulties going out and meeting new people.
‘I told him why we received benefits and then he just sent this horrible message,’ she said.
‘He doesn’t even know us. It’s discrimination really. Just because we received benefits it doesn’t mean he can speak to us like that’.
‘I’ve been through a lot this year. I can’t work because I’ve got some severe back problems. I take painkillers and some days I can’t even get out of bed.’
She said they will continue their search for somewhere to live with the help of her partner’s social worker.