Banbury worker describes how rent rises led to a miserable existence as a homeless family

Helena (not her real name) – who, ironically, works for Citizens’ Advice - spoke to the Banbury Guardian about the ‘impossible’ situation homeless people can find themselves in through no fault of their own.

She was speaking in response to the paper’s recent articles about homelessness and Cherwell District Council’s use of the Whately Hall Hotel to house those without a permanent roof over their head.

She described being lodged in a B&B and moved to a damp room in an extension at the Whately, where she cannot cook fresh meals for her eight-year-old son, who is very unsettled by their insecure situation.

Helena said the Cherwell District Council (CDC) process for homeless people leaves innocent people like herself being shuttled from B&B to hotel room to motel placement, often with only hours’ notice.

CDC has a web page that describes what homeless people can expect – see here.

"The council isn’t allowed to leave people in one place longer than four weeks so people are moved endlessly. It goes round and round and no one takes responsibility,” said Helena.

A Cherwell spokesman disputed the claim, saying government guidance says people should not be in an hotel such as the Whately more than six weeks.

Helena became homeless after her landlord increased the rent on her two-bedroomed home from £1,000 a month to £1,300 a month. The landlord went to court to get a Section 21 (no-fault eviction) which was rubber stamped.

"I had to pay the arrears – even though I couldn’t afford the increase in the first place – and the landlord’s court costs which left me in debt,” she said.

“That 30 per cent was my shopping money or my fuel to work. I haven’t done anything wrong - I work. I've worked since I was a teenager but I'm on a par with people who haven't been here a year. It doesn't seem quite right.”

Helena described the indignity and misery of being homeless. She dare not move in with family or friends or she will disqualify herself from the council’s housing list.

"You lose all your independence. You can't do your laundry, you can’t eat the food you want or cook. While we were getting set up we were eating out which was essentially bad food. And it all feeds into a cycle. They take fridge and kettle out of the rooms - but only for the homeless."

She said the Whately was divided, separating an extension where homeless rooms are from the main hotel for guests. The homeless have a small shared kitchen which has only a microwave and kettle, and people’s rubbish bags make it difficult to get into the room.

"I think it's to test you and your homelessness. There may be people who want a free house and I think the councils make it as difficult as possible. I have to go to a laundrette which is horrifically expensive and to walk to Ferriston or to Morrisons petrol station (the only places with a laundrette) is not reasonable,” said Helena.

“They strip you of all your independence. I cleaned all the black mould off the windows and my room's damp - the floor smells of damp. I've been here since the week before Christmas. I had to go to the Ashleigh Guest House for the first two weeks and then had to move out because of a domestic dispute so I got moved to the Whately.

"Every time you are assigned a room in a hotel you've got to go to the council to sign the papers declaring you won’t drink, take drugs etc. One girl had to walk up to Bodicote House with her cases, six months pregnant, and then to Ruscote as she was being moved from the Whately to the Musketeer pub.

"I have avoided having to go to the Musketeer as there is no WiFi and because I have epilepsy, my son needs to be able to contact my parents immediately through Alexa if I have a seizure.

“It's pretty dark, though I'm one of the fortunate ones as I have friends and family. My parents live locally and I have a sister in Banbury but they can't have me to live with them; my Dad's ill and there's no space.

“I should be able to have my own place because I work. In any case even if my family did have room for us, I would lose my place on the housing allocation list.

“It's the arguments you have to have just to get the basics. If you go to a B&B you don't get any breakfasts, you aren't allowed to use the dining room - they look upon homeless people as second class citizens. I'd never been treated like that until I was in this system.”

Helena said homeless people have to register on Home Choice where the Housing Associations publicise the available housing every Wednesday.

"You bid and it gets allocated through their process. I am category 1 but I haven't been successful yet. And if I were, it's a once offer only. It could be anywhere in Cherwell – Kidlington or Bicester away from work and family - and I would have to take it or be removed from the process. It seems to be a five-month process and I'm month 4. It’s been very unsettling for my son.

“One of the big causes of homelessness is increases in rent which affect normal people and functioning in society - they're being persecuted by the rental market. It's not capped, it's not means-tested. The council didn't have to make me homeless; if they had helped with the rent increase my son and I could have stayed in the home we’d lived in for ten years.

"But they make us homeless. I had a home with furniture and white goods - now it's all in expensive storage. This is my only avenue to a permanent home.”

A council spokesman said: "The council is using block bookings precisely to afford people as much stability as possible while they are in temporary accommodation. The majority of placements are within self-contained units of accommodation, not hotels.

"Whilst people’s stays in temporary accommodation are longer than we would like, due to availability and affordability of housing within the district, it is not the case that people are asked to move without good reason.

“The council has a committed and highly professional housing team working hard to prevent homelessness and rough sleeping and to assist people experiencing them.

"While we cannot comment on individual cases, we are running our service in line with all relevant legislation and government guidance and are using all available tools at our disposal to help people who find themselves in difficulty.”