A young family evicted from their home and moved to a hotel has accused the council of "abuse" and "neglect".
The mum-of-two said the young family was evicted from their housing association home but are now in a room she described as "not suitable to meet the children's basic needs". Nicole Barlow, 24, said they lost their home after the private landlord, who the housing association leased the property from, decided to sell.
The family-of-four was given just two months to vacate the property in Ellesmere Port. But Mrs Barlow, a support worker for adults with learning difficulties, said there were no other suitable council properties in the town.
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The family was not advised to stay past the eviction date of July 18 by Cheshire West and Chester Council. The council instead moved Mrs Barlow, her husband Mike, and their children, James, two, and Belle, three, to a single room at the Chester Court Hotel in Chester.
Mrs Barlow told CheshireLive : “With a couple of bags, we headed off to the Chester Court Hotel. We got the key for the room, and I burst into tears as soon as I walked in there. Obviously, I wasn’t expecting The Ritz or the Grosvenor Hotel, but the room was just not suitable to meet the children’s basic needs.”
The family said the room was not safe for her young children. She said her children were falling off the beds every night, could touch exposed lightbulbs and unlock the room's door. Mrs Barlow added: "My daughter could unlock the doors when she wanted to go and play at 2am. We found her at reception at 3am one night. What if she had gone into that road or someone had taken her?"
The room only had a shower that was unsuitable for bathing the young children - and the family could not have visitors, a rule instigated by the council. The family also claimed the room had a woodlice infestation - something the reception were aware of but "didn't care" about. Mrs Barlow said: "We're not being treated like we're humans."
A spokesperson for Chester Court Hotel told CheshireLive : “With regard to the insect infestation. Firstly, nobody commented on it during their stay. Second, there is full concierge and the rooms are cleaned on a daily basis. It’s an included service and you have to opt out if you would not like your room cleaned.
"Thirdly, they have the ability to be rehoused with Cheshire West within twenty-four hours if they feel that the accommodation is not appropriate or not of a sufficient standard. It’s a bit late after the event to start dragging all these things up when nothing was mentioned at the time. We’ve had no more complaints from other guests about insects in a lamp."
But after a month in the room the family were moved to a different hotel with just an hour's notice. The family said the Dene Hotel was "even worse" and "like a prison". But West Cheshire Homes said the room was "suitable".
She added: "The room was absolutely awful. There's a massive crack in the window, the bathroom is absolutely disgusting, there's mould on the walls, and there was no wardrobe. There is nothing suitable about that room.
"It seems like we're being punished. I feel guilty I was plodding along not realising people were left like this. It's abuse from the council. If it was me who decided to keep my kids in one room day in day out with no proper facilities and nowhere for them to play they would remove my children. But since it's the council they can get away with it." The Dene Hotel was approached for comment by CheshireLive.
The family has not yet been able to find a suitable home in Ellesmere Port. Mrs Barlow said: "We were told we will be moved every four to six weeks, which again is so traumatic for the kids, just as they settle they get moved."
A spokesperson for the council said: "Cheshire West and Chester Council is very conscious that living in hotels is a difficult environment for those faced with this situation, especially families. This is a last resort when no other accommodation is available, and we aim to move households on to their own accommodation as soon as possible.
"We have a process for identifying and using appropriate hotels and have built relationships with hotel operators that are used. Officers are discussing the issues raised with the family and the hotel. We will work to move them on from the hotel as soon as possible into more stable accommodation.
"We are committed to reducing the demand for temporary accommodation and the use of hotels. We are working with social housing providers to help us increase the availability of suitable temporary accommodation whilst at the same time trying to prevent homelessness happening in the first place.
"For those in temporary accommodation, we assist them to move on and address any barriers that may be stopping them from being rehoused."
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