We’re going to be homeless as association want to demolish our homes – our houses are awful but we don’t want to leave
DESPERATE families face homelessness after it was announced their houses could be demolished.
The neighbours live in freezing, mould-infested and flimsy three-bed houses but they insist they want to stay put.
The terrace in Newton Hall, County Durham, was built in 1964 for local workers and was only meant to last for around 15 years. But a housing association is still housing residents in it six decades later.
Some have been forced out already due to mould and damp exacerbating existing health conditions.
And others who own their houses and have lived in them for decades now face the gut wrenching prospect of being evicted after a process to knock them down began this week.
Mum-of-two Clare Stewart, 37, is a self-employed taxi driver and has lived in her home for seven years.
Clare, who rents, said: “Some people have had to move out already because of health conditions.
“It’s freezing cold in the winter and there’s a lot of mould.
“Some are paying £400 a month to heat their homes.
“To be honest, it will be a relief to be somewhere different with better conditions once the process is over.
“I’ve been on to the housing company for over a year to get repairs done.
“Then all of a sudden we were sent leaflets saying they are proposing to knock our houses down.
“We are in a six week consultation period now where we can put our views forward.
“They have said we’ll be put at the top of the priority list to be re-housed if it gets the green light.
“But one lady is concerned because she has just paid for new carpets and now the whole thing might be getting demolished.
“There’s another household where are the occupants are autistic and they are worried about being moved out of their home.
“It’s a big change.”
One pensioner who owns his home now faces the prospect of his property being bulldozed.
Speaking anonymously he said: “I’m not a tenant.
“That is a worry for me because I don’t want to move. I want to stay. This is my home.
“I haven’t got issues with the mould and the damp.
“My house is warm and dry, thankfully. Everything I need is here.
“I have trouble getting around so I’ve put a convertible elevator in which makes it ideal.
“The association have told me once the period of consultation with the tenants is over, they’ll speak to the owners like me.
“They might come to me then and say they’ll buy me out.
“Until they approach me, I am in the dark. There’s lots of permutations.
“I’ve been told not to worry but it is a concern until these six weeks are out of the way.
“They might offer me half the money for the house, but then where do I go?
“I won’t be able to buy another home like this for the money they’ll pay me for it.
“I don’t want to spend £400 to £500 renting a home I don’t own.
“If they offer me that I will say no. It’s worrying times.
“The ideal solution for me would be if they knocked them down, sell the land to a developer, and then I can buy a plot.
“That has to be cheaper than buying me out. But right now it is uncertain, all I can do is wait.”
Pete Van Sunddese, 76, has lived with his wife Kate in their property, which they also own, for 23 years.
The retired technician said: “We got a leaflet through the door addressed to the tenants to let us know.
“That was hand-written from a neighbour. The association didn’t approach us because we are owner-occupied.
“But if they knock the rented ones down, ours will have to go to because they are all connected.
“If it goes ahead then it’s a shame because we have lived here for over 20 years.
“During that time we’ve got married, settled down, and built a really nice little house.
“But there’s no way you can knock down just one or two.
“We’ve spent so much of our lives here and it’s sad especially when you look through old photographs over the years.
“My wife has built her little business here and it’s phenomenal to think we have to say goodbye.”
Pete’s wife Kate, a 59-year-old artist, added: “It’s not great having the damp and I’ve tried to get rid of the mould myself.
“We haven’t heard much about the process going forward. We need to know what our options are.”
It is understood there are currently no plans to build new social housing on the plot.
In a document sent to residents, Believe Housing said: “The costs of the improvements needed far exceed the expected income of the homes.
“Not only would the properties no longer be economically viable, the amount of disruption to tenants would be vast, including the need to move people out while work was undertaken.”
Nik Turner, Executive Director of Communities and Customer Services at believe housing, said: “The decision to consult on possible demolition has not been taken lightly.
“We fully appreciate this is about people’s homes and may be unsettling for customers, but we need to determine the best way to provide homes fit for the future.
“Board members are committed to fully considering customers’ views, so I’d encourage all those affected to engage with this consultation.”