A NEW HOME FOR CHRISTMAS
After spending years living in a damp and crumbling caravan in Truro one man has been re-housed in time for Christmas.
57 year old Keith Walsh had lived in the rented accommodation on Kenwyn Caravan Park for three years until last week when he was given the keys to his new home in Perranporth by Carrick District Council.
"I spent three years trying to get out of that caravan," Mr Walsh explained.
"It wasn't fit for human habitation. The floors had rotted through, you couldn't use the kitchen, bathroom or bedroom - so I spent all my time in one room at the front. It affected my health which hasn't been great anyway. I recently had a triple heart bypass, and yet still had to return to live in a home which was falling down around me."
Mr Walsh's housing issue came to a head recently when the caravan was condemned under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, with a section 80 abatement notice in respect of statutory nuisance. An eviction notice was issued because of the unsafe internal flooring - and Mr Walsh was asked to leave.
"The trouble was I didn't have anywhere to go. What are you supposed do in those circumstances?" Mr Walsh said.
After a lot of correspondence and getting no-where, Mr Walsh contacted Terrye Teverson, the Liberal Democrat PPC for Truro and Falmouth. Mrs Teverson, who has a long record of helping vulnerable people with housing issues, was able to offer Mr Walsh advice on who to contact and what help he was entitled to. Matthew Taylor MP also wrote to Carrick Council on his behalf.
Commenting Mrs Teverson said: "In the current economic climate we are going to see more and more people in Keith's situation."
"I find it truly disturbing that in this day and age people are expected to live in these conditions. Keith's caravan was unfit for anyone to try and have a decent life in. I know there are many more families, elderly and single people living like this - it's just not right."
"Unfortunately this is a problem which cannot be easily resolved. There are not enough council houses for people to go into. Mrs Thatcher's policy of selling off council houses was wonderful for those at the time who could buy them, but where does that leave the next generation who don't have the opportunity of a housing safety net to support them? If we don't have any council houses for our young families and vulnerable people - where are they supposed to go if they cannot afford to buy or rent private accommodation?"
Keith Walsh is now looking forward to Christmas in a clean, dry and warm home.
"I am now in a one room flat, and it feels like a luxury apartment after the caravan - it is warm, dry and safe. I don't need anything else - this is the best Christmas present I have ever been given." Mr Walsh said.
Mrs Teverson added: "Keith has been extremely lucky to get this flat. There are many more people out there who desperately need housing - this is only going to escalate in the New Year. I will keep fighting for those who deserve to have a warm and safe home to live in and do anything I can to help them achieve that."