“I was shocked when I got the eviction notice. I was upset because I knew I would only have two months to find a new home, which isn’t a long time. It’s not enough time at all.”
Graham has been living in her two-bedroom Carlisle home for almost three years, paying £495 in rent after a £70 a month rise in September last year.
She had been planning to move out of the home when she turns 55 in the summer and said she has been on the social housing waiting list “for years”.
Graham, who receives universal credit to top up her wages as well as personal independence payments due to her arthritis, said the toll of finding a new place to live is having an impact on her health as the deadline draws closer.
“I’m looking every day and I feel quite down with it all. It’s all getting on top of me really but I’m trying not to let it. I’m just trying to take things in my stride,” said Graham.
“But there’s so much to do. I’m going to have to start packing and there’s work as well and there’s so much to do on my head.
“I haven’t got mental health issues but it does affect it. I’ve got to be careful because I don’t really want to get stressed because it can flare my arthritis up as well. I’ve got to try and think of my health as well.”
She also fears the impact on her son’s apprenticeship in painting and decorating.
Graham added: “This is his third year and he’s worked really hard and done really well. He’s making a life for himself and he’s going to have a trade behind him to be set for life.
“I try to keep my spirits up around him because I don’t want him to feel down. I want him to get through the rest of his apprenticeship so I just put a brave face on it.
Campaigners have been calling for the Renters Reform Bill to be amended to give tenants four months’ notice to find a new place to live when they receive an eviction notice.
But instead the Renters Reform Bill is set to return after parliament’s Easter recess with amendments which pro-renter groups have claimed “water down” the legislation.
Changes include measures which require renters to sign up to six months in a property when they sign their tenancy agreement and no-fault evictions only being banned for new tenancies until courts are reformed.
The Conservative government pledged to scrap no-fault evictions five years ago this month but are yet to deliver, although housing secretary Michael Gove said it will be done by the general election.
That’s scant consolation for renters like Graham who face losing their home in the meantime.
“It would give me an extra couple of months because I don’t know where I’m going,” said Graham in favour of four-month notice periods.
“I don’t think they’ve [the government] done enough and I think they are letting people down. To have that sitting for five years – if they’d have brought that through I wouldn’t have been in this position.
“I could have left this house when I wanted to leave, not making me homeless. I’m 54 years old and I’m not well, I shouldn’t be put in this situation in this day and age. To me, it’s absolutely disgusting.”
Debbie Graham wrote into the Big Issue to tell her story. Do you have a story to tell or opinions to share about this? We want to hear from you. Get in touch and tell us more.
