A woman is sitting on a bench near her home every day in protest over fears that she could soon lose the house after a real estate company bought half the village. Sara Lewis, 55, from Aberllefenni in Gwynedd has seen her rent increase by £200 each month after the 16 former quarrymen’s homes in the north Wales village were sold.
The 16 houses and cottages - some dating back to the 16th century - first went up for sale in 2016. New owner Walsh Investment Properties said "it's fair and reasonable to charge a market rent". They added that most of the tenants have been charged a low rent for years which is "not sustainable".
“I’m going to go up to the hill by my house to protest and that is the furthest I will go [away from her home],” Sara, who suffers with chronic emphysema which means she struggles to breathe, told WalesOnline on Monday minutes before she dragged herself up the hill and unfurled her paper banner on the wooden bench which reads: “No breath, no home, no hope!!”.
“I would rather die than leave this village. I’ve lived here for 22 years, my support network is here, my family is from here. It’s become my haven and I don’t want to live anywhere else.”
You can read about how the homes were bought in the village of Aberllefenni here.
Sara, who can’t work due to her illness, is on Universal Credit and PIP, but says she will not be able to afford her new rent. She says she applied to Gwynedd council for discretionary funding support after finding out about the rental increases earlier this year, but she claims she has now been “told no” by the council regarding any financial support.
“I believe I am going to be made homeless because I cannot get help,” she explained. “My Universal Credit covers £300. I’ve asked the council for help but a case worker phoned me last Wednesday and told me the council will not be paying the extra cost. I’ve been told I’ll need to pay it myself with my benefits but I can’t afford £200 extra a month.”
Gwnedd council confirmed that Sarah's application is currently being assessed.
Sara’s condition has become so poor that she relies 24 hours a day on ambulatory oxygen. Her doctor has written to Gwynedd council to inform them that “due to her health she would be unable to move house and would be advised to stay where she currently lives on medical grounds”.
Explaining why she’s decided to take such drastic actions in light of her medical needs, Sara added: “I’m sitting on the bench every day because I’d rather make myself ill than live elsewhere. I’m at the end of my tether. In protest I am going to sit outside on the bench every day knowing that doing that will make me extremely ill, but if I am going to be made homeless then I would rather die sooner than later.”
Under the previous owner, the family of John Lloyd from Inigo Jones Slate Works, the rent for the homes rose by 3% per annum. Chris Walsh, of Walsh Investment Properties, has previously told the BBC: "Most of the properties have been paying a low rent for a number of years, unfortunately this is not sustainable in the current economy. We feel it is fair and reasonable to charge a market rent. All properties were surveyed in January 2023 to enable us to plan any required upgrade works. We believe this will allow us to gain a better understanding of each individual tenant's situation. This direct approach should alleviate any miscommunication and misunderstanding. This will also allow us to build a strong and sustainable rapport with all of our tenants."
A spokesman for Gwynedd council said: “We are committed to supporting any individual facing difficulties as a result of the housing crisis. All applications for Discretionary Housing Funding presented to us are assessed by our benefits team as a matter of urgency. Whilst we cannot comment in detail on individual cases, we can confirm that this particular application is currently being assessed. We would urge anyone who has concerns about their housing situation, is homeless or at risk of homelessness to contact the Council’s Homelessness Service by calling 01766771000 or visiting the website www.gwynedd.llyw.cymru/housing”
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