Rhyl family’s relief at finding new home after ‘absolute nightmare’ 18 months

The resident, who asked not to be named, lives with her husband, five children aged between four and 18, and the family’s elderly dog.

The family had been living in a two-bedroom bungalow in Rhyl – which saw five people sleeping in one room - until early 2020, after their landlord had decided to sell the property.

They then moved elsewhere in Rhyl in March 2020, only to be served with a Section 21 eviction notice in April 2021.

The family have yet to leave that property, but such has been their struggle to find alternative accommodation in Rhyl, that only in the last few weeks did a viable option appear via Facebook.

The mother, who said her family is in band two on the SARTH (Single Access Route To Housing) housing register, hopes to move into the new property at the end of September.

She said: “I’ve been on SARTH for as long as I can remember.

“It (current property) sounded perfect, but come April 2021, the estate agent phoned me to say the landlord wanted to sell, and we were issued with our Section 21.

“I’m still here now – this is how long it’s taken.

“After the first Section 21, I went to the (DCC) Homelessness team, Shelter (homelessness charity), through all of the procedures. That Section 21 expired on November 3, 2021.

“A week later, another Section 21 fell on my doorstep. That ran out in July.

“In the meantime, I’ve managed to secure a property. It’s not been through lack of trying; in the last three to four months, I must’ve applied for 50 properties.

“Either they were way out of my price range, or they wouldn’t allow pets, or a five-bedroom property wouldn’t allow more than one child.”

Issues that have also arisen with their current property have included damp walls, plug sockets not being fitted properly, black mould around the bath, and the boiler repeatedly showing an error message.

Black mould around the bath in the family's current Rhyl property (Image: Newsquest)

Mouse traps have also had to be set up in their home, the mother said.

She criticised Denbighshire County Council (DCC), who she labelled as “absolutely useless” in trying to help her with her ordeal prior to finding their new property.

Though, she did add that, since securing her family’s new home, DCC has offered to cover six months’ worth of rent and their deposit.

She added: “It’s been absolutely ridiculous; you wouldn’t believe it. Of about 50 that I’ve applied for, I’ve been able to view two.

“But somebody just happened to say that, luckily, one of her husband’s rentals was becoming available, and to give him a ring.

“I told him our situation, and without me even viewing it, he said it was fine. We’re just waiting now for the end of September, when the current tenants move out.

“The council have been absolutely useless. At one point, I didn’t have a homeless officer after my Section 21 ran out.

“I had to fight for another one, and in fairness, she is helping me, and they’ve said they will try and pay six months’ rent and my deposit for my new property.

“It’s just been hard work, an absolute nightmare. The only reason I’ve got this property is through begging and pleading on Facebook.

“I’ve contacted everyone I know since my first Section 21 in April 2021, and I could only find this one property within my budget and which will suit my family’s needs.

“It’s four-bedroom, and is big enough for us all to live in and manage. My husband and I have lived in Denbighshire all of our lives, and there’s just no help.”

Last month, a Rhyl single mum-of-three, Leanne Taylor, told the Journal that she and her family have been homeless for more than a year after their former landlord sold the bungalow they lived in.

Leanne and her children have since been staying at the Westminster Hotel on East Parade – an option that was also presented to this resident and her family, but which she was not prepared to accept.

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The mother also urged DCC to provide more social housing and more security for tenants, so that residents do not suffer the same predicament as her in future,

She added: “I didn’t want to end up in the Westminster Hotel, which the council said was the only thing they could offer me.

“My sister-in-law even had some tents which she said we could have borrowed.

“I wouldn’t want anyone to go through what I’ve been through in the last 12 months. It’s a lot of work, just to start again (somewhere else).

“They (DCC) need to build more social housing and look after the locals more. It’s just been a hard struggle, and a massive weight that you don’t need.

“There needs to be more security for tenants. It’s a ‘no fault’ eviction, and I understand that they want to sell and make money.

“But if I had known I was going to live here (property they moved into in March 2020) for such a short period, I’d have never moved here.”

In July, DCC leader, Cllr Jason McLellan, said he plans to reinvest council funds into building affordable homes and acquiring new council houses.

The plans emerged after a council report revealed about 180 households in the county are placed in temporary accommodation every year.

The report also found that one family of three even lived in a cellar, and that a large number of those presenting as homeless are single people aged 35 or younger, and large families.

A DCC spokesperson said: “The council fully appreciates that there are waiting times for families to be homed and we are continuing work to increase the supply of available housing in the county.

“For individuals, we have an assessment process for anyone facing homelessness which is followed by our homelessness prevention team.

“All applications for housing are managed in accordance with legislation.

“Although we try our best to prevent homelessness, some people will still become homeless and at that point we will offer and provide temporary emergency accommodation.

“Allocated support workers from the homelessness prevention team are provided to those who are reported as homeless.

“We will work with them to provide help and support for finding suitable ‘move on’ accommodation.”