Joanne Thompson, 44, and her brother Calvin Gray, 55, are facing eviction from their childhood home in East London after their mother Megan died of cancer in July. Hackney Council has told them they must leave the property on the Linzell Estate because the tenancy was already transferred once from their father over 30 years ago, meaning it cannot be passed on to them under succession rules.
The family, which also includes Joanne's husband Dale and their five-year-old daughter Ciara, have lived in the home since 1978. Joanne was made redundant from her job at a local Santander branch amid her grief, and the eviction notice adds to their distress. The council has set December 21 as the date to end the tenancy, giving them 28 days to leave.
Joanne said she requested a tenancy succession but was told the family did not qualify due to the earlier transfer in 1992. She has asked for proof of this succession but has not received it. The family may be offered an alternative home through the council's housing allocations process, but Joanne says she has only had vague conversations and no written offer.
Calvin described the timing as 'so close to Christmas,' while Joanne highlighted the community ties that bind them to the estate. Diane Abbott MP has reportedly written to the council about the case. A Hackney Council spokesperson said they are treating the situation sensitively and assessing eligibility for alternative housing, but Joanne disputes that they have been in close contact.
