A frustrated mum who has had to share a bed with her young son for nearly two years says she is desperate for her own space after being forced to move back into her own mother's house. Sophie Collins has had to sleep in the same bed as her six year old son Frankie in her old childhood bedroom at her mum's house after a local council wrongly accused her of deliberately making herself homeless.
Sophie and her son, from Erith in Bexley, have been living with her mum since December 2020 when Bexley Council wrongly said she had made herself intentionally homeless and said they would no longer help her, MyLondon reports. The frustrated mum says living in such a cramped space has been "stressful" for both her and Frankie, who is autistic.
Frankie has not reacted well to the change in his living circumstances, Sophie says, adding that he has been excluded from school twice for hitting out and trashing a classroom. She said he has also been violent to his classmates and teachers.
Sophie says she has to go to bed at 8pm every night so she doesn't disturb her son's sleep, and says she is desperate for her own space where Frankie can have his own bedroom and a garden to play in because he is "constantly on the go". Explaining how she came to be in this situation, Sophie said she was asked in January 2020 by her landlord if she wanted to renew the contract on her old flat as the owner was planning to sell it to Bexley Council.
She asked if she could have some time to think about the decision - but a month later, she got a letter through the front door asking her to leave the property. She was in temporary accommodation for around nine months before she had to move back into her mum's home with Frankie.
The mum said she feels she has been excluded from conversations between her former landlord and the council, and that she has never seen any proof “in black and white” that she declared herself homeless. She said: “It’s very frustrating. I just don't understand it. If only someone could just sit me down and explain why they took their word over mine.”
A council worker told Sophie their current home wasn't suitable for them both. She said: “She wanted to put it down as overcrowded. With Frankie's medical needs as well, she said it’s a risk because he’s limited to space in there and Frankie needs a lot of space.”
After being placed in a temporary house for nine months before moving into her mum’s home, Sophie said she has often sent letters and forms for housing support to the council. She said the council frequently said to her that their housing duty towards her has “ended”, due to her homeless status.
Gemma Szymanski, Sophie's sister, said: “I keep saying it’s unfair, but it is. She should be able to have a little flat somewhere where Frankie's got his own bedroom and she can go to her room every evening and just relax. But she's constantly with Frankie so she gets no downtime. And it's frustrating, getting no help.”
Sophie said she has to go to bed at 8pm every night to not disturb Frankie. She said: “I just want to be settled. Have my own front door, have Frankie in a school that benefits his needs, and just be happy. That’s all I'm asking for. I just want a roof over my head that I can call my home.”
A Bexley Council spokesperson told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that they do not comment on individual cases.
