Children as young as 11 are buying vapes
A HOMELESS mother of six slept with of five of her children in a small room for two weeks following an eviction for running up £6,000 in rent arrears.
Natalie Colley, 32, and her children have now been placed into temporary accommodation after our sister paper the Manchester Evening News contacted officials over her plight, but they could still face another eviction.
Natalie was evicted from her home in Buckley View, Rochdale on June 16 after building up the huge debt.
For two weeks she and five of her children were put up by a neighbour during which time they slept in a small bedroom. Her eldest child, who is 16, has been staying with a friend.
On Wednesday, June 30, she was placed into a three-bedroom flat at another address in Oldham by Rochdale Boroughwide Housing (RBH), which runs the town’s social housing services.
But, Natalie says she has been told she will be evicted from there in 56 days if she does not clear the current rent arrears.
“They have told me I will be out again if I can’t clear the arrears,” said Natalie. “The debt goes back to 2017 when my housing benefit was capped.
“There’s no way I can pay the arrears in my current circumstances. I have been told that if I can’t clear it, I will have to seek private rented accommodation.
“But renting privately is practically impossible. There is very little available and the rents are so expensive. I don’t know what we’re going to do.”
Natalie says her former partner Mohammed Mukhtar, 47, who is the father of two of her children, has offered to pay £500 a month towards the arrears, but she says this has been rejected.
A spokesperson for Rochdale Boroughwide Housing said: “While we cannot share information about individual residents, our team provides tailored and dedicated assistance to any tenants who are struggling to pay their rent.
“Legal action is an absolute last resort.
“As long as tenants engage with us, we can provide a wide range of support, including specialist money advice.
“We also work closely with colleagues at Rochdale Council where residents have complex needs which require wider support.”
CHILDREN as young as 11 have been purchasing vapes in Rochdale, it has been revealed.
Parents have been urged to look out for the items, which can easily be mistaken for highlighter pens.
Rochdale Borough Council say its trading standards team has received several reports of children buying the products.
The authority has warned the vapes could lead to a nicotine addiction.
In a statement, the council said: “Would you know if your child was vaping?
“Our Trading Standards team are receiving reports of children as young as 11 buying vapes.
“Unlike cigarettes vapes don’t leave a smell and can easily be mistaken for highlighter pens, but just like cigarettes smoking vapes can lead to a nicotine addiction.
“We would urge parents and carers to look out for these items.
“If you become aware of any premises selling vapes to children, please report it to us in confidence at trading.standards@ rochdale.gov.uk.”