‘I had just five days to move disabled siblings up from London, or lose offer of a flat...’
SISTER HITS OUT OVER STRESS CAUSED BY COUNCIL DEMANDS
A NURSE says she was told she only had five days to move her two disabled siblings from London into their promised flat in Leicestershire – or risk losing the tenancy.
Claire Hawkins, 44, has been trying to move her twin brother, Neil, and sister Michelle, 52, to Leicestershire from London since their mum died three years ago.
Michelle and Neil have learning difficulties and are unable to read and write, understand the concept of money and are only capable of making simple meals, such as toast or ready meals.
Claire, a nurse at Loughborough Hospital, has been primarily responsible for her brother and sister since her mum died, making the 260-mile round trip to London every week to make sure they have everything they need.
She filed her most recent application for a home with Charnwood Borough Council a year ago.
To secure the property, she said she had to submit about 80 documents and several statements to support the application and prove they would not be a strain on resources.
She said: “It’s disability discrimination. Other people don’t have to do it. They usually have to send 10 documents, proof of address and that sort of thing and it takes about eight weeks to get on the housing list, whereas it’s taken us this long.”
The family were offered what they consider to be a “perfect” property on August 13, but Claire said they nearly missed out on it as the offer letter was sent to her siblings’ address.
She also claims she was told she had five days for her sister to sign the tenancy agreement and move into the flat or they would lose it.
Claire said the time-frame they were given by the council proved to be impossible, as they needed to carry out assessments on the new flat, give notice on her siblings’ current house and organise a carer for them in their new home.
The family’s need for a carer is particularly pressing as Michelle recently broke her leg and has reduced mobility while it heals.
But Claire claimed: “Basically (Charnwood Borough Council) said they don’t care, we move in this week or we lose the flat and they’ll be homeless.”
She also feels it was unreasonable for the council to offer such a short time frame to move in, as she originally applied for the property in March and it took five months for her family to be given an offer.
The council did accept her offer to pay rent for this month before her siblings move in, but she claims the authority still insisted Michelle came up to sign the contract immediately.
Claire said: “I can’t do that. Michelle is in a wheelchair, I can’t just ship her up from London and then back down again until the flat is ready. They’re being incredibly unreasonable.
“It really is stressful. They’re my responsibility and I just want them to have a better life.”