A West London mother has been notified by Ealing Council that her rent is set to nearly double, a development she attributes to potential retribution for her recent public criticism of the council’s handling of her housing situation. Shanice Aird, 31, who resides in temporary accommodation provided by the council along with her three children, disclosed to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) earlier this month that her living conditions were plagued by mould and safety hazards.

Just days after speaking out about these issues, Ms Aird received a letter indicating that her weekly rent would increase from £230 to £415. She characterised the rent hike as a possible act of “retaliation,” believing the council may have been responding to her complaints about the accommodation. She expressed her concerns by saying, “It made me feel like there is genuinely a personal vendetta against me from the council, because I haven’t been one to put up and shut up with them.” She further described the letter as a “scare tactic,” comparing the effect to intimidation, and highlighted the stress it had caused her and other residents facing similar challenges.

The letter, dated 11 April, was sent four days after an article was published featuring her account of the poor conditions, which included issues such as mould and faulty electrics that had even led to a fire. Ms Aird currently lives in a two-bedroom home rented from the council, which she faces eviction from soon as the landlord intends to repossess the property. Despite asking for a suitable alternative, she has yet to be offered accommodation she deems appropriate.

Ealing Council responded to inquiries from the LDRS by stating the rent increase notice had been sent “in error.” A council spokesperson explained, “We originally believed this property’s lease was being renewed as part of a wider renewal of leases and letters were sent to all impacted households. Unfortunately, the letter sent to Shanice was sent in error as the landlord had requested their property back.” The council also stated that an alternative property had previously been offered to Ms Aird, which she declined, and a further offer would be made within the next six to eight weeks.

Ms Aird had previously been offered housing in Southall but declined due to a traumatic experience there, which included witnessing a stabbing near the property and subsequently developing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). On her relationship with the council, she remarked, “They don’t want people to know what they’re doing is incompetent and negligent. As a sort of government body they need to come across as professional and up to standard when in actual fact, they’re not.”

There was also a dispute concerning alleged rent arrears amounting to £136, which Ms Aird denied, stating that her housing benefit payments are made directly to the council for rent, making it impossible for arrears to accumulate unnoticed. The council did not provide a response to queries about these arrears.

Ealing Council emphatically denied the accusation of deliberately targeting Ms Aird for speaking to the media. The spokesperson affirmed, “Ealing Council would never and has never maliciously targeted someone for speaking to the media and we categorically refute this accusation.”

The situation highlights ongoing difficulties within the housing system faced by Ms Aird and her family, including concerns about safety, inappropriate relocation offers, and communication breakdowns with housing authorities.

Source: Noah Wire Services