We’re being kicked out of the house we’ve lived in for 28 years by the council after my mum died – I’m in tears

A DEVASTATED mum-of-two says the council served her an eviction notice just two weeks after her mother died.

Leanne Everest and her two children now face being made homeless as rules say council homes cannot be passed down through more than one generation.

The home in Barry, Wales, was already passed down to Leanne’s own mum, Diane, with Leanne living in it for 28 years.

Diane sadly passed away in February from pancreatic cancer, aged 75.

Leanne said she and her family were prepared to move – and began to pack and get rid of furniture straight away when they were handed eviction papers a fortnight after Diane’s death.

But the mum-of-two, 46, claims she hasn’t been offered any suitable homes since and is now facing a court battle and £656 in legal costs as the council insist she must be turfed out of her home of 28 years.

Leanne, who lives with her daughter, Caitlyn, 21, and son, Louis, 19, both uni students, told WalesOnline: “I am terrified. I feel like a criminal when I’m not. I really don’t think I’m strong enough mentally to go through with this court case.

“I can’t even begin to say how bad it would be if I have to pay those costs. I only get Universal Credit.

“I literally have no spare money at all. My kids are totally confused by it. They’re both just trying to get their way through university.

“It’s heartbreaking that the council are taking my kids to court. I’m crying most days over it.”

She explained how her grief over her mum’s death, coupled with anxiety and depression has made the already stressful situation much worse.

She said: “My mum was my rock. We were inseparable, we did everything together. You would never believe I’d lost my mum in all of this.”

Leanne added: “The last council officer I saw was the one who served me papers two weeks after my mum died.

“I haven’t been able to grieve. It’s been pretty horrific.”

She explained the family were offered another home but had to turn it down as it was too far from Barry town centre and crime rates in the area made it an unsuitable place to live.

Her GP has also written to the council explaining how the situation is impacting her mental health, as well as the homeless charity Shelter who urged council bosses to reconsider their implementation of the succession rule.

Leanne added: “I’ve never said I want a big house with a big garden, I just want somewhere we can settle and try to rebuild our lives.

“If we lose the court case we’re homeless.”

A spokesperson for Vale of Glamorgan council told WalesOnline: “It is important that council housing stock is allocated appropriately based on a household’s requirements.

“The law allows only one succession per tenancy to ensure properties become available to the range of applicants on the housing register.

“If we did not do this properties could be kept within families for generations and new applicants would have very limited opportunities to secure council accommodation.

“There are currently over 5,000 households on the housing register. This includes many homeless households and people in acute housing need.

“Our housing solutions team have been working hard to help Ms Everest and her family find alternative accommodation and have given the family a number of extensions on leaving their current property.

“They have also been offered temporary accommodation which would mean they would be able to continue to bid on other properties for their permanent home and their banding would have increased to gold-plus status [the highest priority].

“The council will continue to support the family and work with them to ensure the best outcome is achieved.”