A homeless mother says the council is ‘pushing’ her to accept distant or unsuitable accommodation, as she insists she needs to stay close to her ten-year-old son’s school, reports Lola Cook
A homeless mother-of-one has less than five days to find a privately rented flat before Waltham Forest Council ends all offers of housing support.
Maya* and her ten-year-old son became homeless on Tuesday, 2nd June when bailiffs enforced a warrant to remove them from their privately rented Waltham Forest flat.
Maya’s landlord had initially issued a Section 21 notice in September 2024, explaining that he could no longer afford mortgage payments on the property and wanted to sell it.
In the months following the notice, Maya attempted to find new accommodation through the council’s housing team but says she was offered homes that were either not suitable, were too distant, or both.
One of these offers was a two-bedroom flat in Edgware, which Maya thought was unsuitable because of its distance from her support network and her son’s Waltham Forest primary school.
According to emails from January seen by Echo, Waltham Forest’s housing team marked her as “intentionally homeless” because she failed attend a viewing for the property.
If a local authority decides someone is “intentionally homeless”, it means they are not legally required to offer a permanent council property or long-term housing.
Maya disputes the council’s categorisation of her as being ‘intentionally homeless’, stating: “I never once said that I did not want the property. At the time, my focus was on caring for my son while dealing with an extremely stressful housing situation.
“I was forced to cancel a viewing for the [Edgware] flat because my son was unwell and I could not find childcare.”
Maya was given the opportunity to arrange a new viewing of the property but says she did not see an email from the council warning her that any subsequent non-attendance would be marked as a property ‘refusal’.
In April, the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman found Waltham Forest had delayed progressing Maya’s homelessness case while she remained in her property. The watchdog found the council had caused her “avoidable stress and anxiety” and ordered the council to apologise and pay her court fees.
Maya and her son remained in the property while the landlord sought repossession through the courts. She eventually left the flat after bailiffs enforced a warrant on 2nd June.
Maya then contacted Waltham Forest Children’s Services, who agreed to provide emergency hotel accommodation in Walthamstow.
But she has been told that unless she secures privately rented accommodation by next Wednesday (17th June), all support will be withdrawn.
Speaking about the situation, Maya said: “Children’s Services have not made any direct offers of accommodation. They have been sending me links to privately rented properties and arranging viewings for properties advertised on the open market, including one-bedroom flats and studio flats.
“These are not housing offers; they are private rental advertisements that I am expected to pursue myself.
“I have been informed that if I do not secure accommodation by the deadline set by Children’s Services, the support currently being provided will come to an end.
“As a result, I feel under significant pressure to accept accommodation that may not be suitable, as the alternative is the risk of homelessness for myself and my son.”
Private rented properties that have been suggested to Maya include some in Southend and Luton, but she says she cannot move this far because of the impact it would have on her son, who is due to sit his SATs next year and has already experienced “significant disruption” to his education.
Maya also has family near Waltham Forest who care for her son when she is struggling with her mental health.
“Waltham Forest is where my son’s school is,” she said. “If I could pick up the school and take it with me, I would move, but I can’t.”
Maya’s son has settled well at his current primary school after struggling at a previous school, where he was bullied, she adds. He now receives counselling through the school and has been referred for additional mental health support.
As part of a housing suitability review, the school’s leadership submitted evidence warning against another move.
In a letter, the primary school said: “For a child who has already experienced two school moves, being required to transition to a third primary school, particularly during such a sensitive stage, would very likely have a negative effect on his mental health and educational progress.”
Paul Williams, from housing union ACORN, which is supporting Maya, has sharply criticised the council’s handling of the case.
“Displacing a local family to a completely new town miles away from their family and school is cruel and nothing more than social cleansing,” he said.
“On top of this, it is incredibly difficult to find anyone to talk to at the council who will explain what is going on. Only one ward councillor [Leyton’s Demetrius Williams] has shown any interest so far.”
A council spokesperson insisted Waltham Forest was working with Maya and ACORN to achieve a resolution as soon as possible, saying: “Our immediate focus is on working with the resident to find a safe and stable home for her and her child. We have made several offers, including options within London, in line with both our statutory duty and our accommodation policies.
“Like many London boroughs, we are experiencing a very challenging housing market. Demand for local housing far outstrips supply – and this is exactly why we are working to increase the availability of genuinely affordable homes and subsequently reduce the need to consider out-of-borough placements in urgent cases such as this.
“The council is determined to work in partnership with local residents, charity organisations, and housing associations to develop a firm response to the ongoing challenge of the housing crisis.”
For Maya, the priority remains ensuring her son’s education is not disrupted in the event of a move, telling the Echo: “I had a troubled education and I’m not having the same for my son. I just want the best life for him. I will do everything in my power that I can to provide that.”
*Names have been changed
Additional reporting by Marco Marcelline
Local news needs your support
We are proud that we were at the forefront of reporting on the recent local elections. We can’t do this without the support of our readers.
Independent news outlets like ours – reporting for the community without rich backers – are under threat of closure, turning British towns into news deserts.
If our coverage has helped you understand our community a little bit better, please consider supporting us with a monthly, yearly or one-off donation.
ACT NOW!
Monthly direct debit
Annual direct debit
£5 per month supporters get a digital copy of each month’s paper before anyone else, £10 per month supporters get a digital copy of each month’s paper before anyone else and a print copy posted to them each month. £50 annual supporters get a digital copy of each month's paper before anyone else.
More information on supporting us monthly or annually
More Information about donations
