Clayton woman told to leave home after 52 years
HOSPITAL worker Karon Harrison is to be booted out of her home of 52 years – because her parents have died.
The domestic supervisor was born in the lounge of the Clayton home where she has lived with her mum, dad, two brothers and a sister.
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ANGRY: Karon Harrison.
The tenancy to the property passed to her mother's name following the death of her father, John, in 2006.
And Karon was left living alone when her mother, Doreen, died last May.
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But she is now set to be evicted from her three-bedroom Kentmere Place home by Aspire Housing because of strict housing tenancy rules.
Aspire Housing is now looking to find a suitable alternative property.
Karon, who works at the University Hospital of North Staffordshire, said: "I still have the original receipt for the keys to the house which my mum and dad collected on December 15, 1952.
"My parents were the first family to move onto the then new estate and the building works were still ongoing around them."
Karon also lived in the house with brothers Nigel and Kelvin and sister Heather.
She added: "Heather and I were both born in the living room of the property as you did in those days and it is a proper family home."
Karon says she was told she would have to leave the property around a month after her mother's death.
Her appeal against Aspire's decision was later rejected.
She currently pays £88.05 a week in rent and £118 a month Council Tax on the property.
Karon added: "I have grown up in this house so it means a lot to me.
"I pay the rent every week but that doesn't seem to mean anything.
"I face having to move into a one-bedroom flat and I don't think I would be able to cope because it would be so claustrophobic.
"The memories of my family are still in this house and I should be allowed to stay.
"If my parents were still with us today they would be angry with how I am being treated."
Fiance Andrew Garner, aged 50, of London Road, Chesterton, said: "I think this is out of order and I don't see a problem when you are paying the rent.
"It is the sentimental value of living in the house and it is making Karon bad worrying about it.
"She is in full-time employment and even if they put a family in there, Aspire will only get the same amount of money."
Aspire Housing has pledged to continue working with Karon.
Caroline Baggaley, Aspire's Head of Housing, said: "We sympathise with Karon Harrison's circumstances and have provided her with our support throughout the review.
"However, Aspire has to meet the demands of families who need a three-bedroom house, especially as there is a shortage of such homes in the area.
"We have offered Karon assistance to find another property which matches her household's size according to the requirements in the Bedroom Tax which commences in April."
56 Comments
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by dougalcross
Monday, February 18 2013, 6:20PM
“Stonemaiden,
Thanks for your response. I think you may be holding the wrong end of the stick. I didn't suggest transferring ownership, I suggested that the tenancy be transferred to Karon. After all, the arrangement with her family to rent the property had continued for many years.
And she's not in danger of losing her home because of hard times, but because of a half-baked Tory bedroom tax, which we all hope will be filed in the nearest dung heap.
We are not discussing a house, but a lady's home.”
by Stonemaiden
Monday, February 18 2013, 5:46PM
“If you own your own home and fall on hard times you loose your home, that is if you can't keep up the mortgage repayments. When my son in law was made redundant from JCB there was no help for them to stay in their rental property even though they had a baby, they had to manage on our daughters salary for a while. Life is tough at times but we have to strive to be independent and look after ourselves. Years ago people got onto the property ladder in S-O-T by buying a terraced house and doing it up with a grant from the council. When they stopped the grants system was when the old houses fell into disrepair. This was the beginning of the end for the old communities of the potteries. I reiterate though that no one owes you a house ,you have to make your own way in the world and Karen's family should have bought the house to keep it in the family, that is the only way to have security.”
by tiscalipete
Monday, February 18 2013, 5:29PM
“Lets put it in context surely you all must remember but for a short few years ago, Stoke had lots of properties to rent and no takers, so what happened to those properties all of a sudden, we all know, sudden influx of EU members, then all of a sudden, waiting lists grew out of all proportion, so why did not this labour council start building new affordable homes to replace, after all there is a tidy sum of our cash sitting in banks waiting to be lost to some other defunked bank. Strange how these councillers (Servants of the Electorate) can find monies to start a new Council HQ, which we do not want has been or will be pushed through. I moved to this area because I liked the way in those days the people came first with its Stoke Council, not any more. Wake up Stoke Voters...! As for moving house when there are rooms spare, do the same benefit rules apply to those people who own their own home? Are they to be made to sellup, when their families pass on or move out....? Give us a break. Enough is Enough.!!!!”
by Stonemaiden
Sunday, February 17 2013, 11:53PM
“Dougalcross, what nonsense , how can people just assume ownership of a house. It is up to each and everyone of us, if we are physically capable of work, to sort out our own housing needs. Why is it down to a council or housing association to provide a house for the whole of someone's life.
Stoke on Trent has for many years had some of the cheapest housing in the country and yet people still think it is down to the council to put a roof over their heads. Why? Social housing should be seen as a safety net, the country cannot afford the cost of people on low rents and housing benefit. A lot have never paid council tax and they need to factor all these things in when they are planning their futures whilst still at school. Oh, in case you are wondering I vote Labour.”
by dougalcross
Sunday, February 17 2013, 6:04PM
“I just don't see what right the government has to tell us where we can't live.
Surely, after 52 years, tenancy can be assumed, a bit like public footpaths? And if we need houses for families who don't have them, the answer's obvious --- build some more. Thatcher and successive governments have run down the housing stock available to the not-well-off. It shouldn't be down to people like Karon Harrison to relieve us from the mess into which government Ministers have led us, all to satisfy their dogmatic views.
I dread to think of what our so-called Coalition will dream up next to pay for their extravagant fights of fancy. But I'll bet the poorest of society will pick up the bill.”
by Pervez
Sunday, February 17 2013, 6:47AM
“Can she not buy it off aspire?”
by Pervez
Sunday, February 17 2013, 6:45AM
“Single woman wants three bed house she doesn't own...errrrrr no. It's not her inheritance is it.”
by bettyboop10
Sunday, February 17 2013, 4:57AM
“its a disgrace ,the poor women should be aloud to stay in her home ,i bet shes spent hundreds of pounds doing it up and best of all she works and pays her bills ,rent council tax ect ,then they will probably put some one in there who doesnt work and whos on BENEFITS and us workers have to pay there bills ,so what she has empty bedrooms ,she pays BILLS”
by dawn198
Saturday, February 16 2013, 3:19AM
“It appears I was right....benevolence to your fellow man / woman is alive and kicking in Stoke on Trent”
by Stonemaiden
Saturday, February 16 2013, 12:37AM
“Why do so many people think that the country owes them a home ? It is up to each and everyone of us to plan our lives and take responsibility for ourselves. What has caused her to be living at home with her parents and not striking out and making an independent life for herself. Too many people have become reliant on social housing, it is not a right and should be viewed as a safety net. Stoke on Trent has some of the cheapest housing in the country and there is no reason why a woman of 52 should not have got on the property ladder years ago.”