Eviction notice served

saffronflowers

Night MOT, IT, the twins, MM and RW - this has been a day of days - but tommorow is a whole new beginning.

SFx

Reya

4:30am here and once again I'm up and getting ready for work, and this is the first place I check while eating my breakfast.

I hope you had a long and healing sleep, MoT. Even if it was the sleep of the exhausted (which is the best kind, sometimes, because it's the deepest) you needed it.

Here's a great big *HUG* for you, for when you get up.

bellsbells

I hopw you managed to get some sleep last night MOT. Sending you many hugs xxx

alibo

So sorry to hear the news MOT, can't understand the 'logic' of these people, do they not have any brains at all!!

There are so many kind hearted people on here that are devastated by this decision, god knows how you and IT must be feeling.

Please let us know if there is any thing at all any of us can do to help, and there are so many willing volunteers i'm sure.

Also would like to send HUGE HUGS

suekjw

Thinking of you MOT.

italian-tony

Hi everyone. Obviously MOT is completely devastated by the decision. The HO stated that the psych reports referred to how MOT was at the time and did not evidence how she was in the months before! I pointed out that MOT didn't suddenly develop her mental health problems on the day she was examined, however the panel chose to ignore this. All our witnesses gave evidence of her obvious depression over a period of the months leading up to her eviction but the panel must have chosen to ignore this too. The HO maintained that the property was 'affordable' (which it clearly wasn't), that MOT had the capaciousness to organise her finances and pay her rent (which she obviously wasn't) and that the property was available for her to live in, had she paid her rent (which was clearly untrue because it was being sold and the LL had told both me and the neighbour renting the farmhouse that even if she paid her rent he wanted her out). The LL gave evidence in person that MOT was fully aware of the property being up for sale when she signed the TA and pointed to a Tenancy Agreement signed by MOT on which she wrote that she was willing to permit access to potential buyers. However, I pointed out that this was a TA signed in August, 6 months after she had first occupied the property. When he was directed to the first TA, signed before she moved in, it was shown there was no such clause. He also told the panel that the property still hadn't been sold, saying the person interested had pulled out because of the problems with him evicting MOT. Another lie because as I pointed out, the property had been sold at auction in December. However, once again, the panel obviously decided to ignore this. I pointed out that MOT was without any funds whatsoever, that she had large debts, which are being managed by Christians Against Poverty who were now getting regular payments direct from MOT's a/c and they were paying her rent and utility bills, so there was no chance of her getting into the same mess again. The witness from CAP confirmed this and said he was looking at the bankruptcy route as their seemed little hope of her becoming solvent. This didn't make any difference either. MSE was mentioned byt them as a 'Blog' set up by MOT to demonstrate her capaciousness. We corrected that and explained what MSE was, how it worked, how long it had been running and how much support and advice MOT had gained from it. I told the Panel that renting privately was not a possibility because she did not have any money for a deposit or advance rental. I told them that MOT was not a sponger, trying to pull the wool over their eyes, happy to live off the State. She is an honest lady and a good mother who had worked hard all her life, who had through no fault of her own, fallen upon hard times. I really thought that after they had deliberated for such a long time we might get a favourable and humane result. It was a very long day, a hard fought case and the decison 'No' when it came, hit us very hard. MOT ran from the room in tears. Afterwards, I spoke with the Head HO to ask what did she expect MOT and her children to do now, live on the street? Her answer was, "Couldn't she live with you? Why doesn't her father help her out? A few other trite remarks that I wont go into now. I'm sorry to say this but I don't believe DBC have any decent feelings in their bodies. They no doubt all went home to their comfortable houses yesterday, thinking 'Job well done', having condemned a decent family to the waste heap. Had MOT been a drug addict, an alcoholic, a released prisoner, refugee and .............. No, I mustn't go there. I want to personally thank SF and Ampersand for their attendance and help on the day, SF who was our 'Note taker' and Ampersand who was there to provide hugs and general good will. It was a pleasure to meet you both in the flesh; you are both charming, good hearted people. It's just a pity that there weren't people like you on the Panel. Thanks also to Floss for updating everyone and for keeping things 'in order'. I honestly don't know where we go from here at present, we will be talking to the solicitor today. Pania, I will read your pm and reply in time; just bear with me as not a lot of sleep was had last night and I need to gather my thoughts.

sophiesmum_2

Hi MOT, IT and everyone else who has been helping and supporting. I hope you all managed to get some sleep last night. It must have been a really emotionally draining day for you all.
Just wanted to send you some positive thoughts to start the day and let you know that the dfw community are here to support you with whatever the next stage is.
Today is a new beginning .... keep strong.:A :A

saffronflowers

I have thought long and hard before posting this but I feel that both MOT and IT will understand why.

Yesterday was extremely long and extremly traumatic. On the plus side I do feel that the committee did whole heartedly listen to all the information that was presented to them and question both witnessess and IT and MOT with informed and considered questions. It was obvious that they had all read the paperwork supplied by the council to them prior to the meeting. I for one do not feel that they had made a predeterminded decision and started yesterday with an open mind to listen to all the information that was to be presented.

Having said that I do truly belevie that they came to their decision with the excess weight put forward by the HO on the credibility of a witness and financial matters that were ill constucted and using margins that were untenable. The HO did not consider the medical evidence as valid and did dismiss it when it came to discussing the finances.

I do not beleive that this is the end, and I am pretty sure that MM and RW will continue their superb support of MOT. Support and kindness I encountered yesterday and I hold them both in the highest of esteem for that and their unwavering support over the last few months of MOT. Ampersand and T also deserves a medal for spending a day staring at the last 50 years of mayors of Dacorum.

Personally I do not feel that any single member of the committee felt any satisfaction with the outcome, but were ill advised in the way that they came to their decision. I personally do not feel that any of them wanted to come to the decision that they did but under guidance they felt they had no other option.

It is very easy for me to write this as I sit in my house having been made homeless 6 years ago and rehomed but I have pledge to MOT and IT that I will do anything I can in my power to facilitate a favourable outcome.



Lastly, one of the saddest things about yesterday was the misrepresentation of this thread by the HO and its importance to MOT, the twins and IT. I know what it means to them, I know it has been invaluable, I know that without all the knowldege that has been imparted their would not have been a valid appeal.

Mot may have lost the battle but she has not lost the war.



SFx

PS May I thank MR Flowers who drove from Cambridge to HH yesterday to pick me up.

Frugal_Fox

Good morning MOT. I'm not sure how you slept last night - but I do at least hope you managed to shut your eyes and get some rest. I am still completely perplexed by the decision and feel overwhelmingly sad for you all. Take some comfort for the amount of support you have here.

When I began reading this thread on Wednesday I couldn't understand why it was as long as it was. I went from reading all the posts to the ones made by you and IT, then added ampersand,saffronflowers and floss2 into the equation too. I can't believe the length of time this has taken. I'm sure you have a million and one thoughts going around in your head at this time, and I'm sure too that you will have had no-end of inputs/advice from relevant sources. Only know that we ARE here to support you, and whilst some of us can not begin to understand how you are coping, we are here to empathise with you. Please ensure you take sufficient time for yourself - yes your children need you, but you need to take time for you so you can be there for them. If that means taking 30 minutes away from everyone then you must do that.
FF x

sasp

Hi MOT I hope, like others that you managed to get a little rest. Today is a new start, I know these are just words. Take SaffronFlowers as your example. She can really show you better than most how you can come through the other side as she has faced your battle too.

I hope you take some comfort from all the people rooting for you. You WILL have your fairy tale ending I'm certain. You deserve it so much.

With love
sasp xx