A recovered drug addict who fought hard to get clean claims he is facing a relapse if he is put into a council home frequented by drug users.
Zamal Ali, 46, lived with hard drugs for 21 years but was able to kick the habit and has been clean of both crack cocaine and heroin for two and a half years.
After Mr Ali’s mother died last year he lost his home and has been bidding on council properties ever since.
But he claims that pressure is being put on him to take a room in a house where habitual drug users live and he fears it could spark a relapse, Gloucestershire Live reports.
Mr Ali, from Cheltenham, said: “Last November I was sleeping in a car and recently I have [been] put in a homeless shelter in Gloucester which is very good and there are no drug users that neighbour me.
“The place that Cheltenham Borough Homes want to put me, well I would rather sleep in my car again. Most of the people who live there are on crack or heroin and I know being in that environment will not help me and I will relapse.”
Mr Ali was in a relationship with Kerrina Clarke, 34, also from Cheltenham. Both were users of hard drugs and both were able to get clean around the same time.
Miss Clarke said: “We are both ex users and have worked hard to stay clean. To put him in accommodation where the temptation is there from others is no good.
“None of us want that life ever again and it is something we work hard to maintain we do not go back to.
“We both realised it was no life when we were actually fighting over drugs. We would have no food, gas or electric. As time went on we realised how better life was when we stopped using.
“Now Zamal is homeless through no fault of his own and he is not being listened to.”
Mr Ali claims he has submitted supporting letters from his doctor and other agencies to say the shared housing is not suitable for him and he says he is worried for his future.
He added: “It has been a long road to get to this point. It is not a life I want to go back to ever again. The temptation would be too great, even just smelling it is too much.
“I feel the housing team just want me off the list and do not want me to get a home where I will do okay.
“If they would just allow me a little more time and not say they are going to stop the housing benefits if I do not take what is offered, it would just I am safe.
“What they want me to go into, before I know it I would be hooked again.”
A Cheltenham Borough Homes spokesperson said: "Cheltenham Borough Homes has housed Mr Ali in temporary accommodation to prevent him being homeless and has offered suitable accommodation to help resolve his housing problems.
"We do what we can to find suitable housing in emergency situations and this property has been assessed as being suitable by Cheltenham Borough Homes and third parties."
