A single mother of three from Nantwich, Cheshire, has described her 'hell' after a fire at a neighbour's house left her homeless and struggling to feed her children. Natalie Oakes, mother of Delilah, nine, Harvey, seven, who has autism, and Mila, three, along with neighbour Millie, have been living out of a suitcase since the blaze on August 10.
The fire caused serious damage to the neighbouring property and also structural and smoke damage to Millie and Natalie's homes, making them uninhabitable until safety checks and repairs are completed. After the blaze, firefighters were unable to contact Peaks and Plains Housing Trust, which owns Natalie's house and part-owns Millie's through a shared ownership scheme, leaving the families homeless.
The friends and children were initially taken to a homeless shelter by firefighters, where they could shower and sleep. They have since sofa surfed and been moved between various hotel accommodations, which they describe as unsuitable for a family with young children, especially one with autism. Millie said, 'It's been over a week now and we are really struggling. The kids are absolutely shattered because they don't know where they are sleeping from one day to the next.'
The hotel rooms lacked cooking and washing facilities, forcing the families to buy expensive takeaway food. They have spent around £800 on expenses, while the housing association provided only £50 to Millie and £100 to Natalie. Millie added, 'We have to get the kids breakfast, lunch and dinner, but there's no cooking facilities. After all we've been through, Peaks and Plains are now making things harder for us.'
The families claim the housing association showed a lack of urgency and understanding, with Millie being told, 'Are you not grateful that you have been given somewhere to stay?' They have pleaded for more suitable accommodation, such as an Airbnb, but say their requests have been ignored.
