Frequent Moves for Londoner in Temporary Accommodation as Homelessness Figures Climb

New analysis by the housing charity Shelter indicates an 11% increase in the number of homeless individuals residing in temporary accommodation in London, reaching an estimated total of 185,761. Laura Barley, 37, is one such individual, presently residing in a two-bedroom temporary accommodation flat with her two children. She stated that she has relocated seven times within a three-month period. She described the experience as feeling “like you’re in a constant battle all the time,” elaborating that her family felt “constantly left in limbo.” Haringey Council commented that its documentation of events “differed significantly” from Ms Barley’s assertions, but affirmed its ongoing support for the family. Ms. Barley has held a council tenancy in Haringey for over 16 years. Due to leaks in her one-bedroom flat in Tottenham, she and her children, aged 13 and 11, required rehousing into temporary accommodation. Nevertheless, she reported that since September, she has been relocated seven times among various temporary placements, including hotels and another property from which they had to move again due to severe leaks. She recounted that one hotel, a Travelodge selected by Haringey Council, was situated in Enfield, a distance from her children’s school that nearly caused her to lose her job due to difficulties with school drop-offs and timely arrival at work. She stated, “It almost felt it was my fault. I don’t have any arrears, I work.” Ms. Barley’s present accommodation has also presented problems. She reported, “Since I moved in, the bath is blocked completely and the shower doesn’t work.” She further explained that the bath water takes three or four days to drain, and she has resorted to washing her hair in the bathroom sink after her attempts to resolve the issue proved unsuccessful. She asserted that she has been unable to contact any maintenance team personnel despite numerous phone calls, stating that the line disconnects before being answered. She added, “I initially rang up to get somebody to fix it but because it was down as temporary accommodation it wasn’t down under Haringey.” She also stated, “No-one wants to help, they don’t respond now because they just think I’m a nuisance.” Following her communication with BBC News, Ms. Barley indicated that she had since been contacted by the maintenance team, and repairs for her bath are scheduled for January. Ms. Barley also mentioned that she still lacked clarity regarding her long-term living arrangements. She described the experience as “a nightmare.” Ms. Barley further expressed a strong desire “not to have to worry every minute” about another relocation, and to achieve the “consistency of a decent home, that’s it.” This situation coincides with Shelter’s analysis of official homelessness data and Freedom of Information request responses, which also revealed that over 1,100 individuals in London were sleeping rough on any given night, marking a 32% increase. The charity’s examination of additional government statistics indicated that 63% (27,650) of all families in such accommodation in London had resided there for over two years by the end of March 2024. This contrasts sharply with the rest of England, where the typical duration for households with children in temporary accommodation was under six months. Polly Neate, chief executive of Shelter, commented: “As the country prepares to wind down and celebrate the festive season in our homes, it’s unimaginable that 186,900 people in London will spend this winter homeless – many of them forced to shiver on the wet streets or in a mouldy hostel room with their entire family.” Councillor Sarah Williams, Haringey Council’s deputy leader and cabinet member for housing and planning, reiterated that the council’s record of events “differed significantly.” Ms. Williams challenged Ms. Barley’s assertion of moving seven times in three months, stating that Ms. Barley had moved four times specifically into or between hotels. Ms. Barley, however, countered that this count omitted two temporary accommodation placements not in hotels and an instance where she moved her family into a hotel overnight due to leaks in her temporary accommodation causing electrical outages. Ms. Williams further stated: “We were able to provide a temporary move into a two-bed council home which had a functioning bath when Laura started the tenancy, and we paid for all removal costs.” She added, “We have been in contact with Laura who has not told us of any issues with the property, including the bath”. She also mentioned that the council was working to finalize the repairs to allow the family to return home soon and would maintain its support for the family. Ms. Williams further noted that the borough faced “insufficient permanent accommodation” resulting from “the ongoing housing crisis, a combination of right-to-buy and a shortage of social housing.” She concluded, “We have more than 1,300 households with the same or higher priority than Laura.”