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Lending a helping hand: Former mayor, Cllr Joan Coupland, left, with friend Danni Anders-Petrov, centre, and daughter Cllr Shelley Coupland |
Shelter from economic storm
Ex-mayor hits out over plight of ‘decent people’ thrown out onto the streets
A FORMER Islington mayor who is giving temporary shelter to a woman friend who was sleeping rough has hit out at the lack of support for people whose homes are repossessed.
Labour councillor Joan Coupland said she was “horrified that ordinary decent people who lose their homes in the recession are being forced onto the streets.”
She spoke out after taking up the plight of former care worker Danni Anders-Petrov, 39, who first lost her job owing to stress and then her flat when she could no longer afford mortgage payments.
Cllr Coupland, who represents St Mary’s ward, said she was astonished at how quickly people like Ms Anders-Petrov, born and bred in Islington and a full-time professional care worker for almost 20 years, had managed to fall through the net of social support.
Ms Anders-Petrov lost her flat in Morgan Road, Holloway last December when it was repossessed following a court case.
Three months earlier Ms Anders-Petrov had lost her job and was no longer able to afford £1,500 a month mortgage payments. Arrears built up until she owed the mortgage brokers £10,000.
Cllr Coupland, who has been friends with Ms Anders-Petrov for many years, heard that the woman had been sleeping rough on park benches and walking all night to keep warm.
In court Ms Anders-Petrov, who has now managed to find a new job with a housing association, offered to pay a reduced mortgage of £500 a month. But the mortgage company refused.
She also had a potential buyer for the flat who had offered £215,000, which was also rejected despite a call by the judge for the mortgage company to show leniency.
Seeking help from Islington’s emergency housing department, she claimed that a duty officer told her she was not eligible for any support and would be “better off living on the streets”.
Ms Anders-Petrov has since heard that the mortgage company has now sold her flat for £110,000, but because it went for £70,000 less than its value she must make up the difference. “How on earth can I afford £70,000?” she added.
Cllr Coupland said there are 13,000 people on the housing waiting list in Islington and Ms Anders-Petrov did not have children to worry about.
“All she wanted was temporary accommodation, a roof over her head, until she could get her feet on the ground,” said Cllr Coupland. “But not only was there no offer of help. There was no sympathy either.”
Sue McCann, manager of the Margins Homeless Project at Union Chapel, Highbury, who run a night shelter and provide free Sunday lunches, reports similar stories.
She said: “We are getting more people who have lost their jobs and are just shocked because they didn’t think it could happen to them.
“Many quite simply can’t manage on their savings. They may have failed to claim benefits early enough. Housing benefits, for example, can take several months and by that time landlords have kicked people out.
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