A dad says he feels like Salford Council has ‘put a gun to my head’ as he faces being losing his home at the same time his partner gives birth to twins.
Mark Kirwin, from Swinton, told the Manchester Evening News that his family need to leave the home he rents while repairs are carried out, but his only offer from Salford Council is to move to a bed-and-breakfast in Harpurhey, some five miles away.
That’s ‘not adequate’, Mark says, because his four-year-old son attends a ‘special play group’ for children with autism in Swinton. The council says that its offer is ‘due to high demand and shortage of properties’, with nearly 100 people in a similar position to Mark.
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The authority, and Mr Kirwin’s landlord, also say they have attempted to complete the repairs for more than a year, but have been unable to get access to the home ‘for 18 months’. The landlord, Ian Hannah, has also said he will foot the bill for any temporary accommodation the family needs while the repairs are carried out.
However, Mark feels like he is in an impossible position. He said: “I feel like they have put a gun to my head.
“This has been going on for three years. My four-year-old son has lived here for four years and no one has batted an eyelid. A hotel is not adequate for us.
“I have been on to housing, and they have offered us a hotel in Harpurhey. My son has autism and he goes to a play group in Swinton, and he needs to stay there.
“We cannot bring twins home to a hotel. [The council’s] Housing team say we need to go there, but I have two other children that won't be able to visit me. It’s just a room, there’s no kitchen.”
Mark’s partner is due to give birth this month, meaning the repairs to their home will not be done in time for the birth. It means Mark and the mum will welcome their twins into the world homeless.
However, landlord Ian Hannah says he is prepared to provide alternative accommodation for the family. Last Thursday (March 9), he told the MEN: “I am 78 years old and I would hate anyone doing this to my family. I am trying to be as fair as possible. I can understand his frustration with the council, it seems an odd process.
“The point is if he is not letting anybody in and would not let anyone in for 18 months, it’s a difficult situation. The scaffolding went up yesterday.
“They are starting next week. I am trying to get him something close to Swinton like a guesthouse or accommodation, and I am prepared to pay for that and help the family out. The council knows I am prepared to provide alternative accommodation at my own expense.”
A statement from Salford Council added that the offer of the Harpurhey hotel was a ‘stepping stone’ option. Deputy City Mayor Tracy Kelly, said: “We are concerned about the family’s situation and housing staff have been working with the landlord and tenant since late 2021.
“This is both to resolve issues of contractors gaining access to the property to complete the necessary repairs and to help the family find alternative social housing for the longer-term. Once the repairs are done the property will be restored to a decent standard and the tenant can continue to bid for social housing and move when a house becomes available.
“Due to high demand and shortage of properties, we have made him aware it could take some time to successfully bid on a suitable property. The council offered temporary hotel accommodation as an immediate option because of concerns about the condition of the property.
“This would be a stepping-stone to moving the family to another temporary property until a permanent home becomes available. Unfortunately, due to high demand and shortage of properties, we do sometimes have to offer families hotel accommodation outside Salford.”
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