Mother-of-eight including new baby says family have 'nowhere to go'
Mother-of-eight including newborn baby says family have ‘nowhere to go’ after receiving a court order to leave their privately rented home by today
- Jodie Hand, 38, and Carl Ellis, 45, and their eight children are being evicted
- Ms Hand, from Liverpool, gave birth to her last baby just four weeks ago
- She is fearing for her family’s future due to the soaring cost of private rents
A mother with eight children says she is fearing what will become of her family after they were handed an eviction notice from their privately rented home.
Jodie Hand, 38, and Carl Ellis, 45, have lived at the house in Tuebrook, Liverpool, for the last two years with their children: Carl, 19, Joseph, 15, Finley, 12, Leighton, 11, Matilda, five, Minnie, three, and Bonnie, two.
The couple, who also welcomed a baby boy, Leonard, into the world four weeks ago, were first given a notice last April asking them to leave their home by June 28.
Ms Hand said they have always paid their rent on time and the decision was made due to the landlord wanting to turn the property into a house of multiple occupancy (HMO).
The family have since been sent a possession order from a district judge ordering them to leave the property by today,
Jodie hands, 38, and her partner Carl Ellis, 45, have been evicted from their Liverpool home with their eight children
The couple have lived at the house in Tuebrook, Liverpool, for the last two years with their children: Carl, 19, Joseph, 15, Finley, 12, Leighton, 11, Matilda, five, Minnie, three, and Bonnie, two. They welcomed a baby boy, Leonard, into the world four weeks ago
Jodie said: ‘We’ve got seven kids and a newborn baby, so in total it’s eight and three of the kids have got autism.
‘We moved here because it would be a bigger property to provide more space with the kids with complex needs. They’ve never had any problems with us. We’re a family, we keep ourselves to ourselves. If we had rent arrears or an ASBO I’d understand.
‘Anyway, 12 months after being in the property [the landlord] decided he wasn’t going to renew the property because he would get more money if he had it as a HMO.’
After first receiving the notice, Ms Hand said she contacted Liverpool City Council’s housing options team for support in finding somewhere else to live, but they are yet to be offered any alternative accommodation.
The mother-of-eight claims she still hasn’t received access the council’s property pool and the family has been told they may have to move into a hotel.
She added: ‘I said we wouldn’t be hotel criteria because of the children with ASD [autism spectrum disorder], because my partner is also ill with diabetes and his mobility, and because we’ve got a newborn baby.’
A spokesperson for Liverpool City Council said it has provided the family with ‘the advice they need and explained to them the process.’
The spokesperson added that the council’s housing options team are working with the family to find alternative accommodation.
The mother-of-eight claims she still hasn’t received access the council’s property pool and the family has been told they may have to move into a hotel.
Ms Hand said they have also looked for private houses available to rent over the last 12 months, but there is nothing that they can afford for a similar price to their current rent of £700 a month.
She said: ‘Some of the rents are absolutely shocking – £1,500 a month for houses we need.
‘We’ve literally got nowhere to go. We’ve got to be out on 17th March which is Friday. I’m scared for my kids.’
According to the charity Shelter, tenants do not have to leave by the date given on a possession order and this is not the end of a section 21 eviction process.
If a tenant does not leave by the date of possession, a landlord can ask court bailiffs to evict them, but they must give at least two weeks notice of the eviction date.
Ms Hand said: ‘I’ve just had a C-Section four weeks ago. I’m in absolutely agony.
‘The baby is four weeks old and I’m trying to pack a house up with eight kids in it and my husband is ill. We’re not getting anywhere with anybody. No one is helping me at all.’
Liverpool City Council’s spokesperson added: ‘It’s an understandably traumatic experience for a tenant to be in and the council fully understands and accepts what people go through in that scenario.
‘In this experience, we’ve spoken to the family, we’ve provided them with the advice they need and explained to them the process. Officers and the team in housing options are working to find alternative accommodation that’s suitable for the family.’
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