A Wokingham family with multiple disabilities has ‘heard nothing at all’ since it was revealed that they were served a last minute eviction order from their town centre home, it has been confirmed.
Wokingham Borough Council has expressed its sympathy for the ‘terrified’ mother and son about to be evicted from a housing association property under a now illegal Section 21 no-fault eviction notice.
But the Council has warned that it may be have limited options to find Lynne Antink, 71, and her terminally ill son Colin, 34 a similar home quickly before they are evicted on July 18.
Lynne told the LDRS they were “very scared” of being split up.
She said: “We’ve heard nothing at all so far. I’m desperate now.
“We’ve got nowhere to go, so we can’t go anywhere. It’s like sitting on a time-bomb really. Everytime we start to pack we think ‘this is our life – where’s it going?’
The situation is particularly serious for Colin, who has terminal Addison’s disease and kidney failure. In the past, when he tried to move out and get a place of his own, he repeatedly collapsed.
For Colin, stress can trigger a life-threatening adrenal crisis requiring an emergency injection within minutes and a category-one ambulance response.
The property has been heavily adapted, including a stairlift, walk-in shower and wheelchair access.
She said: “The housing association got [the eviction letter] out very quietly, very carefully in the last week in April. We’ve got to the point where we’re really scared now.”
But Steven Wild, managing director of Co-op Homes, said: “We know any such change in housing can cause uncertainty, and the decision… has not been taken lightly.”
Lynne said: “Colin has had one or two scam calls offering non-existant flats, and I had a scam call from a so-called solicitor.”
Lynne and Colin were served an eviction notice to leave their Wokingham home in April, but the council has not indicated it will be able to step in to provide them with a similar property.
Wokingham leader Stephen Conway, who speaks for the council on housing matters and is passionate about the need for more council houses said:
“We always do what we can to help when anyone is made homeless or is in immediate danger of homelessness.
“But we can’t stop evictions from properties owned by private landlords or even housing associations that are completely independent of the council.”
On April 24, just days before stronger tenant protections came into force, they received a Section 21 no-fault eviction notice – a type of eviction which the government banned on May 1.
When the letter arrived, Colin found his mum sobbing in the kitchen, went into shock and had to be given strong medication to prevent adrenal collapse.
Lynne said: “We do support each other, but we also have carers who support us.”
Middlesex Housing Co-op (MHC), managed by Co-op Homes, confirmed it plans to sell the property.
Mr Wild said: “As a small not-for-profit provider… [we] have to carefully consider the best use of all their properties… The sale of Denton Road will provide… new co-operative housing developments in West London.”
He added: “We have been in regular phone, email and in-person contact… and will work with Wokingham Borough Council to ensure a suitable new property is identified.”
The family say finding a suitable, adapted home will be extremely difficult and fear for Colin’s health as the eviction process continues.
Lynne said: “I have to be out by July 18, and I haven’t finished packing yet. They can’t throw us out on a park bench, surely?”
