Terminal cancer patient left sleeping on buses after council eviction
A 60-year-old man fighting terminal cancer has described how he was forced to sleep on buses and wash in McDonald's after being made homeless by Islington Council.
Shaner Osman, who suffers from Myeloma and is undergoing chemotherapy, spent nearly a month rough sleeping after bailiffs evicted him from his temporary accommodation in October.
The controversial eviction
Mr Osman had been living in temporary housing for almost two years when the North London authority withdrew its duty to house him. Council officers had previously registered him as making himself 'intentionally homeless' due to a prison recall two years earlier.
Housing campaigner Kwajo Tweneboa, who is supporting Shaner's fight for permanent accommodation, argues this decision contradicts current case law.
"I was in tears because I didn't know what I'd done wrong," Shaner told MyLondon. "I could barely eat and barely sleep at night. Apart from three days I was on the streets for an entire month."
The eviction saw bailiffs drill off his door and remove him with only the clothes he was wearing and his walking sticks. They allegedly loaded two vans with his belongings, including his cancer medication and identification documents, before sealing them inside his former flat.
Council response condemned as 'PR nonsense'
Following social media attention generated by Mr Tweneboa on November 13, Islington Council confirmed it had placed Shaner in temporary accommodation while working to secure permanent housing.
A council spokesperson told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that while they lack a statutory duty to accommodate Shaner, they had exceeded government guidelines by providing temporary housing for nearly two years.
This response has been fiercely criticised by Kwajo and his team, who described it as "PR nonsense".
"Islington said they have kept him in a property for two years, but that means he would have already settled and changed then," Kwajo stated. "Instead he was kept dangling on a string for two years, and got rid of him over a phone conversation."
Uninhabitable property offers
Shaner says he has been offered four permanent properties - though the council claims it was six - which campaigners describe as plagued with damp, mould or ongoing building work.
One property featured a shared bathroom and kitchen, making it unsuitable for Shaner who is immunosuppressed due to his cancer treatment.
"One of the rooms was totally waterlogged," Shaner said of properties he viewed in Finsbury Park. "It was uninhabitable. The place in Palmers Green was also in such a disgusting state. It was mouldy and damp."
During the viewing in Palmers Green, Shaner - who also has chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) - suffered an asthma attack and passed out, requiring hospital treatment.
Uncertain future
Councilor John Woolf, Islington Council's Executive Member for Homes and Neighbourhoods, previously claimed Shaner had "indicated they will accept the latest offer of private-rented accommodation".
However, Shaner disputes this, insisting he remains in limbo waiting for suitable accommodation. His current temporary housing arrangement was due to expire on Wednesday, November 26, leaving him facing potential eviction once again.
The council has stated it remains dedicated to arranging a meeting about securing Shaner a permanent home and that medical assessments have now been conducted on a potential property.
