A MUM living in Rhyl and her family are at risk of homelessness after being served with an eviction notice for reasons she said were unexplained to her.
Amy Wildman, 39, has lived on Brynheddyd Road, at a property her landlord has rented through Reeds Rains, since January with her husband and four children ranging in age from one to 19.
But earlier this month, Amy, a part-time hairdresser, said she was informed that she and her family are due to be evicted from their home by January 14, 2024.
She and her family moved from Liverpool to Rhyl to be nearer to her father, who suffers from Alzheimer’s disease, while Amy’s six-year-old son is being tested for autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
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They have encountered countless problems at their house since moving in, she added, but said they have never failed to pay rent, leaving her confused and worried by her impending eviction.
Amy said: “It’s been an absolute joke, to be honest. Even when we first arrived, the house was absolutely filthy.
“We’ve had asbestos in the garage roof; the windows upstairs are so old that, in winter, the rooms are too cold; door handles and kitchen cupboard doors have been falling off; the carpets are all worn; and there’s been Japanese knotweed growing outside of the property.
“The garage door that had to be fixed also fell on the head of my six-year-old. Luckily, there wasn’t lasting damage.
“As time has gone on, it’s been one thing after another. It’s like ‘The House that Jack Built’.
“Now, all of a sudden, we’ve been told that the landlord wants the property back (in January), with no reason given as to why they’re kicking us out.”
Amy herself suffers from tachycardia, a condition which causes her heart to beat too quickly, which she said is being exacerbated by the stress of this predicament.
She was told by Denbighshire County Council that the local authority can assist her in her search for accommodation until 56 days prior to her eviction date.
Ongoing attempts to find new private accommodation have, she said, so far proved fruitless.
Amy added: “It really annoys me that they’re putting us through this. We’ve never had an issue with landlords or rent before.
“My dad is half of the reason we moved here, and why I only work part-time, so I’m already up the wall.
“Now, on top of everything else, I’ve got to find us somewhere to live again, which is virtually impossible because there are no houses to rent.
“For me to have to wait for Denbighshire County Council to do anything just puts extra pressure on me. I’m a sitting duck.
“It’s draining. A couple of days after I first found out about the eviction, I just sat in the house and couldn’t get myself up. I just felt so depressed and so low.
“I’ve got four kids who are reliant on me, but it’s out of my hands. I just want to be happy with my kids and my family, and to not have to move again.”
In response, Kevin Beastall, director of the independently owned and managed branch of Reeds Rains in Rhyl, said: “As a letting agent, we have to act on the direction of the landlord and in accordance with regulatory requirements.
“The landlord instructed us to give notice to the tenants, within the required notice period, and we duly followed this instruction.
“We will endeavour to support the tenants in any way we can in finding alternative accommodation, should they require it.”
A spokesperson for Denbighshire County Council added: “The council’s teams will always try their best to hurry along any processes as quickly as possible for accommodation to support welfare and will continue to work with individuals and families to provide a satisfactory resolution.”
Figures from property website Zoopla showed that average monthly rents in Denbighshire had risen by eight per cent in January 2023 compared to a year prior (£691 vs £640).
Homelessness charity Shelter Cymru are continue to call for a ban on “no fault evictions” in Wales.
A spokesperson for Shelter Cymru said: “No fault evictions are at an all-time high and are something which we’re very concerned about at Shelter Cymru.
“It’s a mandatory possession ground, meaning there’s almost no arguing against it.
“Tenants are not given the reasons why they are to lose their home, and landlords are not required to supply that information.
“As this case highlights, the search for an alternative home is far from easy. There are less properties available, more people looking, and rents across Wales have risen by nearly 10 per cent in a year.
“We appreciate that local authority homelessness services are under a huge amount of pressure as the number of households asking for help just keeps to growing
“If UK Government plans go ahead, it’s probable that, by the time of the next Senedd election, Wales will be the only Great British nation where it is still permitted.
“Plans in England are still under discussion, but tenants there will at least know the reasons why they are being evicted, and be in a better position to raise a defence.”
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