A desperate father from Coventry has been forced to use a curtain to divide a bedroom which is shared between his teenage son and daughter. Simon Mansbridge, 41, says he has resorted to the extreme situation after continually being let down in his search for a larger property.
Mr Mansbridge, who shares a two-bedroom flat in Willenhall with his two children and wife, has been bidding on the Homefinder app every week for a larger property, which he was told he would qualify for more than four years ago. During that time, his children have grown up and surpassed the NSPCC advice of children of different sexes over the age of 10 sharing a room.
The 41-year-old father of two was given full custody of his daughter Lorena three years ago and space is cramped, which he believes is affecting his children's mental and emotional well-being. He said: "I've cut up a curtain dividing the bedroom so they can shut themselves off from each other, so yeah I have put a curtain up in the centre of the bedroom dividing [it] so they can shut the curtains and have some privacy.
"But it isn't a very big room, there's two beds, two chest of drawers, a wardrobe, they really haven't got a lot of space. My daughter at aged 14 has her monthlies and that, she needs her own space and her own privacy, when they're getting changed, one will go into the bathroom while the other will use the bedroom, they're having to knock the door and ask if they can come in."
Mr Mansbridge, who has lived in the flat for 15 years, said the family cannot afford a deposit for a private property and is frustrated with the situation. "When I got custody of my daughter, I've taken court orders down to [the council] to show that I need a bigger property because I have custody of my daughter, it has not done anything in the way of pushing me forward for a three bedroom property.
"Over the past couple of months, at weekends, [my son] has been going out at staying at his friend's houses, so he has his own personal space, but other than that in the week he's stuck at home. We are very stressed, limited on space with furniture, everybody's belongings within the flat, it is a big struggle especially in the evenings when I get home.
"[I'm] trying to get things sorted, dinners done for everyone, getting everyone so they can sit down and relax and have their own space in the evenings. The rent now on private properties is extortionate it is getting impossible. The stress of bidding on properties for three years it's taking it toll on myself and my partner."
CoventryLive approached Coventry City Council about their HomeFinder waiting list.
A spokesperson for Coventry City Council said: "The new Homefinder scheme went live on the 13 September 2021, and since then there have been 53 three-bedroom properties let and 52 of those have gone to Band 1 – which is the highest priority band. We currently have 1,223 households on the scheme with a three-bedroom need and 782 are one-bedroom overcrowded. So there is a significant waiting list.
"We understand Mr Mansbridge’s concerns, and if he believes he should be in a different banding, then he can submit a change of circumstances form with the reasons for the change and we will assess this against the Homefinder policy. Alternatively he may need to consider privately renting a property to resolve his circumstances more quickly."
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