19 November 2023 , 21:50
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A 75-year-old pensioner says she is 'cracking up' and is living out of boxes after being evicted from her home.
Devastated Valerie McGurk was told by her landlord that her house was being sold and she was served with a Section 21 eviction notice. Valerie, who lost her husband three years ago, sought help from Wirral Council to find a new place to live but found the process frustrating.
Her eviction notice period ended over a week ago and now she fears she could end up on the street. The stress of the situation is making her very unwell. She said: "I got served a Section 21 notice in the post, they gave me two months. The notice was up on November 7, hence why I am all packed up. I've done nothing wrong. I understand the landlord is selling because the mortgage rates have gone up."
She fears being kicked out onto the streets after being served with an eviction notice"But I don't want to be in this situation again, so I wanted to try with the council. I didn't want to be evicted again in a few months. The council took all my details and said there was a backlog and they would call me in two weeks. I've heard very little. Nobody is helping me. I have heard nothing. They are supposed to keep in touch with me."
Valerie revealed she has been offered a few properties that are either too far from her Wallasey home or tiny flats. She added: "I can't just move to a different area, my life is here. It's just getting me down now, I really have had enough. I want to settle, I don't want to keep giving my home away. I can't get all my life, all my memories into a tiny one bedroom flat."
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Wirral Council, like many local authorities, is struggling with the number of properties it has available, as more people are served eviction notices. The council insists it is working with Valerie and will ensure temporary accommodation is available if she is forced out of her current property. The situation is making Valerie, who had a hip replacement a year ago, unwell. She said: "People might think I look alright on the outside but I'm not on the inside, I'm cracking up. You've got to try and keep going."
"I think this needs to be heard. Something needs to be done to help people in my age group. Lots of people I know have had the same thing. In some cases, they were given a weekend to get out of their house. We're senior citizens and we deserve a bit of dignity. I've always paid my rates, I've never been in trouble, now when I need help it isn't there for me."
She added: "It's making me feel quite poorly. I'm in chronic pain. It is the anniversary of my husband's death, so it's a difficult time. There are quite a few senior citizens I know in this situation. It shouldn't be like this. We're just left to get on with it. You try not to think about it but you go to bed wondering what tomorrow will bring. It's brought me to my knees."
"I have given some of my stuff away. Everything else is packed into boxes. It is bare. It's not a nice way to live. I'm hoping for a miracle that I can get sorted before Christmas, but I don't know what is going to happen." I dread becoming homeless. I would hate them to knock on my door and say get out. I worry I would be evicted onto the street. It's a horrible thing to think about."
A Wirral Council spokesperson said: "We know that this is a very upsetting time for Valerie, but her case is very much open and ongoing." She has received advice and support from housing officers, alongside having her accommodation needs assessed. She has high priority for rehousing through Property Pool Plus, but as is the case across the country, there is a limited number of available properties, particularly in the areas where she has expressed a preference to live.
"Broadening the range of areas where she is prepared to move to would greatly increase the options available to her. Housing officers will continue to support her to secure alternative accommodation, including providing temporary accommodation should her landlord serve a possession order for the property in the meantime."
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