Margaret

Margaret, a woman in her mid-60s with complex disabilities, was recently re-housed with her teenage daughter in a rural community in the North West. Although Margaret explained that her time on the waiting list for social housing was relatively short, both her and her daughter consider themselves as being the ‘hidden homeless’ for almost a decade. Their ordeal, which Margaret describes as ‘a living hell’, was brought to an end due to the intervention of a homelessness charity which advocated on behalf of this family, helping them to navigate what was described as “a complicated system” which made them feel unworthy.

Margaret’s story is one of hardship and despair, a life that was made ‘unbearable’ as a result of the behaviour and actions of her previous landlord. Initially, Margaret and her husband, who passed away a few years ago, had a ‘good relationship’ with the landlord, yet that quickly changed when the family had settled into their home. Although the rent and rates were covered by housing benefit, Margaret explained that the landlord placed a ‘huge financial burden’ on the family:

In addition to the financial pressures, Margaret also stated that the landlord failed to carry out repairs, and despite receiving a grant to adapt the home to suit her complex needs, this work was never completed. Rather, the family had to live without a bathroom for over a year and were told repeatedly by the landlord that they were problematic, and ‘would never get another house.’ For Margaret, his actions equated to ‘coercive control.’ In fact, she claimed that although he was ‘manipulative and physically abusive towards her,’ her complaints to local authorities, including the police and council, were never taken seriously.

As such, Margaret continued with the tenancy due to “the fear of standing up to a man who is considered a pillar of society” and her lack of knowledge about the social housing system. Throughout this period Margaret and her daughter had to find money on demand, which left them without the basics at times. They also lived in fear of being evicted from the house as they had nowhere else to go.

‘Hidden’ Homelessness in Northern Ireland 49 Margaret is now relieved that she has a place to call home and is grateful to a housing advice organisation who have supported her and her daughter, after her social worker set up a meeting with a support worker from the charity. By telling her story, Margaret wants to raise awareness about the actions of what she refers to as ‘rogue landlords,’ who capitalise on those who are vulnerable.

At Simon Community NI we respect everyone who comes to us for help. While this story is true, the identity of the participant in our Hidden Homelessness research has been changed to protect their privacy.