A woman who spent a decade living in Plungington and was recently made homeless has told of her experience.

She also raised concerns about the standard of accommodation being used to house families and individuals short-term in the city.

Sophie Fawcett spoke to Blog Preston just days after the Section 21 order was issued to evict her and her two teenage daughters to leave the Ripon Street property they called home.

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The 33-year-old said: “I was given a good period of notice by the landlord and letting agent, but the advice I was given was due to the waiting times for trying to find a new property that it was best to stay put literally until the bailiffs came.

“I spoke to the council and I was told to come to the Town Hall on the day with my two daughters with me and use this as leverage to get seen quicker.

“I was shocked by this. I didn’t want to take my girls out of school for the day and have them see this.”

She said they were initially housed in the Travelodge in New Hall Lane for a night before being moved to another hotel in Preston. Blog Preston has been asked not to name the hotel due to the vulnerability of people who are placed there by Preston City Council when they find themselves homeless – we’ve taken the decision to respect this request.

On her arrival Ms Fawcett said she refused for her family to be housed in the room – as the wallpaper was peeling off to reveal mould and only one of her daughters would have been able to stay with her and be expected to sleep on what she described as a ‘dog bed’.

She said: “I can’t believe anyone would be happy to stay in those conditions.

“One of my daughters is asthmatic so I could not have had her stay in a room with mould dripping from the walls.

“And I was told there wasn’t any accommodation available for both of my daughters to be with me. I was told to choose between them.

“I’m sorry but I do not want my daughters separated and not being able to stay with me.

“As for what they were expected to sleep on, I’ve seen dogs provided with better bedding than that was proposed. The mattress was like a sheet of paper.

“So I refused to take the room until something else was found.

“I don’t think people should stand for it – as the hotels and accommodation are receiving money from the government and councils to provide a standard of accommodation.”

Ms Fawcett said she has been found an alternative room – but is concerned as the room she was initially put in has been given to another family and she says she’s not aware of any repairs having been made.

She is now on the waiting list for a longer-term housing solution, having tried to look for a private rental herself but finding it impossible due to the rental prices and deposits needed.

She told Blog Preston in some cases she was being expected to provide three months rent in advance for a deposit.

The part-time NHS receptionist, who has two children aged 13 and 15, said: “I can’t triple my wages overnight. How are people expected to afford it?

“We can’t be offered any assurances as to when and where we’ll be housed. My girls are at school in Ashton so we need to stay around here.

“It’s really sad. We had a good, stable, home in a good quality three-bed semi-detached property and now we are in this situation.”

Ms Fawcett also raised concerns about safety within the hotel – which is being used to house a number of people who are currently homeless.

She said: “I came back on Friday evening and found a man in my room. He was sat there charging his phone. I spoke to the manager and they apologised and said they had a number of mental health patients staying there at present.

“I am concerned for my safety and the safety of my daughters.”

Council takes action and says hotel will have to improve

The city council said in response to Ms Fawcett’s situation: “Before using any premises like this, staff from Housing Advice carry out a site visit. Rooms should be clean and inspected by the managers of the accommodation for any defects before rooms are re-occupied. It isn’t possible to inspect all the rooms, so the housing team relies on clients to inform them of any issues. In this instance as soon as these issues were raised the family were moved into another room.

“Preston City Council has spoken to the manager and reiterated that rooms should be clean and free from defects and requested that all beds should have appropriate mattresses and not the set up seen in one of the photos, which was not a dog bed as claimed.

“Preston City Council will continue to monitor this closely to ensure that accommodation is up to the appropriate standards.”

Asked about the wider pressures on finding temporary accommodation in the city, a spokesperson for the city council said: “We are currently experiencing unprecedented demands on the Housing Advisory Services (HAS) from those presenting as homeless, to the levels of support required to prevent homelessness.  An unprecedented number of people are turning to the council for support when facing homelessness. A recent survey by the District Council’s Network claimed 96% of members had reported an increase in the use of temporary accommodation. 

“Due to the current national crisis in housing and homelessness, PCC is having to place families in hotels whilst acknowledging this is not acceptable and are working hard to find alternative solutions, but this takes time. Added to the high demand of homeless presentations we have seen a reduction in available homes to move households into. Social housing waiting lists are at an all-time high with an average wait of 12 months.”

What is a Section 21 order?

A Section 21 order is used to evict tenants after a fixed-term tenancy ends, if there’s a written contract. Or during a tenancy with no fixed end date, known as a ‘periodic tenancy’.

It gives the tenant at least two months notice to move out of the property.

No reason has to be given by a landlord for issuing a Section 21 notice. They have to go to court for the notice to be valid, and tenants can at this stage challenge their eviction.

Where to get help and housing advice

Citizens Advice has details on what to do if you receive a Section 21 notice. The charity Shelter also offer extensive housing advice.

Those at risk of homelessness can contact the city council’s housing advice service.

Support for homelessness in the city is through The Foxton, Emmaus and other charities too.

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