‘There are six of us in a two-bedroom home. You can’t swing a cat’

TERRI Lewis has been waiting for a council house to become available since 2018 – but said the situation has become more desperate following the death of her partner earlier this year.

She said: “My partner had a heart attack lying in bed and died in January.

“I now have full custody of his two children along with my own two and we had one child together.

“That means there are six of us in a two-bedroom home and one of my children has disabilities and needs to be in her own room.

“She had a stroke when she was a baby so she has seizures, facial palsy, a club foot, deafness and stomach problems.

“She is also not the best sleeper as she tends to get up through the night for food so she is up and down all night – she can’t be in a room with the rest of them because they would be woken up.

“So she sleeps with me and the baby and the rest are in the other room. You can’t swing a cat in here.”

Although Terri and her family currently live in a private rented property, she said she has been waiting for a council house for the past two years.

She said: “We are private renting just now but it is not up to standard – my gas and electricity went off last week and I couldn’t get a hold of the landlord because he is in Thailand.

“I keep being told there are no houses available where I want – I need to be close to my mum in case anything happens.

“I was told I was first on the list for Mid Craigie and Linlathen but then the last time I was told I was fourth.

“I have given the council addresses of empty homes but I keep being told they are not in my criteria.

“We have been on the waiting list since 2018 and when my partner died, to me, it became an emergency.

“It has gone from him having a house and me having a house to all being together in one house.”