‘My dogs are my lifeline – but I can’t get a home’
When Paul Growns became homeless in January 2022 he never imagined he’d still be living out of his car with his dogs two years later.
Despite holding down a fulltime job, after he’s paid his child maintenance, car insurance and storage costs, he’s left with little money to live off. Paul, who was born and raised in Maidstone, says he has not been offered temporary accommodation because the council say he is not in priority need.
The only option, it advises him, is to seek private accommodation — but almost all housing providers have a no pet-policy.
The 45-year-old says his two dogs, Max and Toby, are his lifeline and he is not prepared to rehome them or put them down just to get a permanent roof over his head.
In 2021, Maidstone council adopted a ground-breaking new policy regarding the housing of homeless people who have pets.
The policy, officially named the John Chadwick Pet Policy, was introduced in memory of a homeless man who took his own life just 10 days after being forbidden from taking his dogs and cats into the emergency accommodation found for him.
The policy now states animals are permitted to be taken into council-owned temporary accommodation.
However, the problem of limited council housing stock remains, with even less chance of finding pet-friendly housing outside of this as most social and private housing does not allow cats and dogs.
Paul is now urging more landlords and private providers to accept pets, while also asking Maidstone council to overturn its “non-priority” decision under the law.
Under the homelessness code of guidance for local authorities, applicants have a priority need for accommodation if they are pregnant, have a child who is dependent on you, or are vulnerable, due to old age or mental illness.
Maidstone council said it has instructed its independent reviewer to consider Mr Growns’ request to overturn the decision to find him a nonpriority and is “awaiting the outcome”.
The spokesperson also said the council is working with him and others to identify a suitable housing solution, however Paul says he does not feel supported at all.
“I’ve been looking everywhere for an animal-friendly place to stay,” he said.
“These dogs are the reason I’m still here at the moment, because if I didn’t have these, I don’t know how long I’d be here.
“They are keeping me going, they’re my rock and I’d be lost without them.”
Paul has been sleeping in his car in country lanes, car parks and lay-bys while working fulltime as a van driver.
Before his 16-year relationship broke down, Paul was living in Kings Hill with his wife and two children.
On January 24, 2022, he first presented himself as homeless to the council and says he waited eight months before being moved to a property in
August 2022. However, only a month later he lost the property because the landlord did not allow dogs, which Paul says he wasn’t aware of.
Since then, he hasn’t found a permanent place to live.
Paul says it is impossible to find social or private housing which allows him to live with his animals.
When Paul was unable to keep staying with a friend in July last year, the following month the council told him he was eligible for relief duty. However, after 56 days had passed, the council confirmed it would be ending his relief duty and was satisfied he did not have priority need.
Under the relief duty, people are provided with emergency accommodation if the council has reason to believe they are in “priority need”. On December 1, last year, Paul notified the council he wished to challenge that decision.
Over Christmas the council provided him temporary hotel accommodation but this only lasted a few days before he was asked to leave because he was not allowed to leave his animals unattended while he went to work.
Five months have now passed and he says his request for accommodation pending review was declined.
Paul has sent endless messages to private landlords asking if they accept pets, but the response each time is “sorry no pets”.
All he wants now is a place to live with his animals.
“It is a disgrace the way people who are homeless who do have animals and pets are being treated by the local authorities,” he said.