EXCLUSIVE: ‘We cannot live like this’-Woman made homeless moved into a hotel room with three dogs and forced to share bed with 13 year old son.

A Havering resident who was living in the Gooshays area of Harold Hill, was forced to move out of her house where she was living with her son and three dogs after the landlord chose to sell off the property,leaving her homeless.Nikki moved out of the house on 23 April and had let the council know that she was going to be made homeless numerous times. She had been advised to stay in her property until the end which she did and was then left standing in council officers with her family and possessions and nowhere to go.

Nikki told the Havering Daily:”I stayed in the property until we were evicted and then went to the Havering Council housing office with my son, three dogs and everything we own. We were told we couldn’t wait in the offices, so had to walk the streets in the rain until they told us we had a room at a hotel in Basildon.

“We have been there since. It is one small room and has only one bed. How is it right to share a bed with my 13 year old son? it isn’t right having to share a room with him, let alone a bed. He needs his privacy.”

Nikki who works in Harold Hill, has been travelling to and from work everyday and is struggling to live in one small room with her son and three dogs.

“I have asked to see if anyone can look after my dogs until we are rehomed, but everyone has said no as they are too old. I’m not going to get rid of them either, I’ve had them from puppies, they are part of my family.

“We have no cooking facilities or washing facilities. I am spending between £40-50 a day feeding my family. My son has mental health issues and has a social worker, so living in one room like this is really making his mental health worse. I am at my wits ends and feel suicidal now. I have begged everyone for help. We can not live like this.”

Nikki is desperate to be rehoused urgently as her family are struggling to live in one room with no facilities.

“I asked the hotel if they had a spare bed for my son so he did not have to share a bed with me. They gave me a camp bed which he fell through. He is now sleeping on a mattress on the floor. We can’t cook or wash our clothes. We have to eat out as the restaurant in the hotel is too expensive.”

Harold Hill community champion Jan Sargent is working with Nikki alongside local MP Julia Lopez’s office to help re house her as quickly as possible.

A spokesperson for Havering Council told the Havering Daily: “We are already working with this resident to secure alternative accommodation that has kitchen, bathroom and laundry facilities and will liaise with other agencies to ensure they have further support.

“We face unprecedented demand pressures on housing supply and continue to struggle to find properties that meet household need.”

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