Sisters fear losing home just weeks after mum died

NO AUTOMATIC RIGHT TO TENANCY IN SOCIAL HOUSING

TWO sisters - one as young as 11 - fear they will lose their family home after their mum died of cancer just three weeks ago.

Sharni Reynolds, 22, and her younger sister Alyisha, lived with their mum in Willenhall before she died.

Their mum, Pam, was taken to hospital on September 26 after Sharni found her having a seizure.

After four days and a number of scans, she was found to have cancer in her brain, lung, liver and breast.

Pam and her family were told she had nine months to live, with Sharni claiming she was told she would only get the tenancy of the house they rented once her mother had passed away.

After the devastating death of Pam on November 20 - just nine weeks later - Sharni sent off the death certificate to Midland Heart.

But on Tuesday, she received a letter which gave her fear that she would have to move out of their home.

The letter from Midland Heart sympathised with the family and said it would be working with them to find a solution following the passing of Sharni’s mum.

But despite this, Sharni is packing boxes of belongings and worries they will have to leave the home they shared with their mum.

She said: “It is really worrying and I certainly don’t want to be going through my mum’s things this soon.

“To transfer the tenancy over, they wanted my mum’s death certificate.

“I spent ages trying to get hold of them, but did eventually get it sent.

“We sent it off but on Tuesday we got a letter about what happens next.

“I haven’t had chance to take it all in. Mum’s funeral was eight days ago.

“I am yet to go through her stuff, but now I’m expected to pack the whole house up.”

Sharni said: “There are three of us living in the house. My six-year-old son, me and my 11-yearold sister.

“On September 26, mum was having a seizure so I called 999 as she also wasn’t responding.

“They took her to hospital, did scans and found lesions on the brain.

“More scans were done and we found out it was brain cancer.

“It was then revealed she had cancer in the brain, lung, liver and breast and that was diagnosed in four days.

“It was such a shock, she seemed healthy and had no symptoms.

“We got told she had nine months to live but she was gone within nine weeks.”

The sisters have the whole Willenhall community behind them, with Copsewood football team - where Alyshia plays - also fundraising for the two.

Sadly, Alyshia’s dad died when she was four so she is facing her first Christmas without her parents.

Sharni said: “Alyshia is amazing. I don’t know how she copes.

“She is so strong, and her and my son keep me going. The support from the community is just amazing.

“Alyshia is heartbroken at the thought of moving, but she is being incredibly strong.”

Nigel Collumbell, director of Housing Management, Midland Heart, said: “Our thoughts are with the Reynolds family at this difficult time and we would like to offer our sincere apologies for the worry this letter has caused.

“It was sent to Ms Reynolds not as an evic-

tion order but as a notice to legally bring her mother’s tenancy to an end.

“The type of tenancy her mother had does not automatically transfer to her daughter, however, this does not mean the family will have to leave.

“A member of our team will be meeting with the family to understand their circumstances and discuss all of the options available to them.

“Our number one priority is to ensure their needs are met, whether by their current property or a more suitable alternative.”

Sharni responded to Midland Heart’s statement by saying: “I feel like they only said what they did because of the Telegraph calling them.

“I am still going to box little things up and on Monday hopefully they give me the answer we’ve been waiting for. Just a shame it took all of this for them to call me.”