Amy and Joshua, newlyweds in their 20s with three children and a boy, are facing homelessness after being given just seven days’ notice to vacate their rented home.
They can no longer pay rent because they rely on government assistance. With deportation looming, they are still figuring out where they will live if their current residence is no longer an option.
Amy and her partner needed housing assistance, but none of their relatives could help them. The only family member who tried to help was my uncle who lived in Somerset.
Housing associations, on the other hand, tear families apart by threatening to evict them if they don’t accept their offers. The couple felt scared and helpless because they had no choice.
It is difficult to know what action to take as Barnsley Council needs to send a consistent message to Joshua and his family. Joshua and Victoria Robertshaw lived in the same house indefinitely, but Joshua’s name is not on the lease. Only Victoria’s name is written. He died of COVID-19 in August 2020 at the age of 45.
Joshua and his family find themselves in an impossible situation as Congress makes conflicting decisions. Joshua is stubborn because he doesn’t want to have to tear his family apart because of his other choices.
The judge issued a full possession order, saying anyone living in a particular house must leave within seven days. A spokesman for Sanctuary Housing said the decision had taken time but was due to rent arrears after a long period of non-payment.
The tenants of the house had not paid rent for months. We tried to resolve it without legal action, but the situation was not resolved.
Barnsley Council has been working with relevant parties to find new homes for residents as quickly as possible to provide places for families on Barnsley’s waiting list. Jenny Platts, the Barnsley councilor in charge of the case, said the Ministry of Housing had offered advice and assistance to the couple on possible alternatives.
We also do our best to find a suitable hotel quickly.
