To ask for advice about how to help elderly neighbour?

[thepeopleversuswork]

Wonder if anyone with experience of this can advice on how to help? Elderly neighbour (mid 80s) on her own is apparently being kicked out of her flat by her landlady. She's been told she has to be out by January 3rd. She's not in great health and struggles a little bit to manage day to day.

I think she ought to be in sheltered accommodation (with a warden or equivalent) but with a degree of independence. She doesn't, to my knowledge, have significant savings or income and her family appear to be pretty rubbish -- her husband is in a care home with dementia and she has fallen out with her other children.

I think the council should rehome her but not sure what the best way is to move it forward. She's tried calling them apparently without success. I've offered to go down to the council with her and also to citizen's advice to deal with the threat from the current landlady. She's not particularly receptive and her current strategy seems to be to stay put until she is removed but obviously that's not sustainable.

I work full time so have limited ability to deal with this day to day, but happy to help where I can.

Does anyone have any experience with this and any recommendations as to how to help someone get rehoused?

Why does the landlady want her to leave?

Your neighbour would have been given a minimum of two months notice so she needs to have been looking for another private rental or contacting the housing department at the council for assistance. The council will tell her to stay put until the Landlord goes to court to have her evicted but at least she will be on their system.

Ring Age UK as soon as possible, 0800 678 1602 (8am-7pm, 365 days a year).

The landlord will require a court order to evict her at which point she may count as homeless?

her current strategy seems to be to stay put until she is removed but obviously that's not sustainable

Unfortunately, as she will know if she has spoken to the council, then that is exactly what they will have advised her to do. She has to stay put until the landlord applies to court for her to be removed and only then do the council consider her to be unintentionally homeless and progress her up the waiting list.

Also unfortunately, there isn't a lot of council accommodation suitable for someone in their 80s readily available . What she will be offered is most likely going to be B&B accommodation until something more suitable comes up.

For starters I think you need to consider the common denominator here with a woman who seems to fall out with everyone!

Just because she's older and frail bow doesn't mean she has behaved well in the past or that she has behaved correctly recently.

I'd caution taking what she's telling you with a large pinch of salt and as mnhq warns don't give of yourself more than you can afford to lose - either financially or emotionally/time wise

That said nobody deserves to be homeless especially this time of year.

Where are you both? I highly recommend shelter for such issues they're pretty on the ball.

Unfortunately the time of year means most offices are closed over the festive period councils tend to close for a 10 day to fortnight block.

But certainly with mine if you call the main switchboard number there's directions on how to contact certain depts in case of emergency that includes social services.

They have adult services depts to support older vulnerable people and there should be a number to contact ss in emergency and they'll be able to put her in touch with adult services to get the support she needs.

If that's not possible where you are then nhs community hcps may be able to help - IF she really is being evicted in a few days and it's a matter of true urgency

But definitely be cautious and verify as much as you can and notice if she is reluctant to have you contact people to help on her behalf.

Ss would be able to find out her full circumstances they're very good at contacting and collating info from various sources.

Maybe I'm cynical but this sounds like maybe she's angling to move in with you? Or for you to loan her money if she claims the eviction is due to something like non payment of rent?

Be supportive but have good boundaries

Thanks all

graphista you may be right... honestly they're a pretty dysfunctional family there's been DV and a lot of alcoholism involved. I don't think she's an angel - she's a crabby old cow - but I do think she's the victim. There's absolutely no question of her moving in with me just not going to happen.

Also regardless of what she's done I don't think a woman in her mid 80s should be living in conditions like that.

Thanks for the advice on the notice from the landlady. That may be partly why she's staying put although I got the impression she hadn't got through to the council.

I'll try Shelter and Age UK

Thank goodness for good neighbours like you.

No nobody deserves to be insecure regarding their home of course, but I'm glad you're open minded and cautious too.

Hope you are able to get her the help she needs

Can't she make a homeless application to the council if she's being kicked out?