Woman told to leave dad’s home after his death
A WOMAN who moved in with her dying father to care for him has been told to leave the family home just days after he died.
Natalie Thomas, 35, moved in with her father Stephen in the house she grew up in on West Close, Butetown. Her father was diagnosed with cancer and suffered a brain tumour before he died on June 1.
Ms Thomas and her two children, aged four and five years old, left their house on Firs Avenue, Fairwater, and surrendered her tenancy.
Last week, Cardiff council sent her a letter saying she has to leave her family home in Butetown immediately and return to the house in Fairwater – but Ms Thomas says she can’t, as she has already surrendered the tenancy and given back the keys.
The letter said: “I have been advised that Stephen Thomas has passed away and would like to offer my sincere condolences at this very sad time.
“Unfortunately it will not be possible for you to remain at West Close, and you should return to your home on Firs Avenue immediately.
“I am sorry that we cannot be of further assistance and look forward to your cooperation in this matter.”
She later received a phone call from the council’s homelessness team, asking which three areas of Cardiff she wanted as priorities, and was told she would be put on the waiting list for social housing.
Ms Thomas said: “I was distraught. I’m crying so much. My middle son has a learning disability and doesn’t cope well with change. We’ve spent more time here than in the house in Fairwater anyway.
“A homeless officer phoned me on Friday, asking me which areas I want. There’s no consideration for the loss of my dad or that this is a family home and anyway, they’re not meant to be doing evictions because of the lockdown.”
She grew up in the Butetown home and was only rehoused to Fairwater after leaving the father of her children, due to domestic abuse.
Now, her sister-in-law Catherine Criddle has started a petition to support her. So far more than 750 people have signed it.
Ms Criddle said: “Natalie doesn’t have supporting parents to help her. What she does have is a family of neighbours at her home address, who can help her through this heartfelt situation. Is it that hard for Cardiff council to allow her to take over the tenancy, and for her to receive support?”
Ms Thomas said: ““This is my home. I’m not leaving unless they force me out.”
But the council said it would be against the law to pass the house on to her from her father.
A council spokesperson said: “The council is deeply sorry to hear about Ms Thomas’s loss and would like to express our sympathies to her and her family at this difficult time.
“Our tenancy management team has explained that by law, a tenancy can only be passed on once by succession, which has already happened at the property. No further succession is allowed.
“The council has therefore written to Ms Thomas to advise her to return to her main home so the West Close property can be allocated to a family on the housing waiting list.”