A heartbroken woman is being forced out of her lifelong council home just months after her mum's death.
Andrea Long, 53, has lived in her home in Abertysswg in south Wales all her life but following the sudden death of her mum Ruth in January, Caerphilly Council have told her she must leave the three-bedroom house by July 4.
Andrea, who now lives alone, has been told she must leave because rules only allow for one succession per tenancy. The tenancy had already been passed over to Ruth when Andrea's dad Kenneth died in 2010, Wales Online report.
Hundreds of people have signed a petition calling for the decision to be reversed as the law in Wales is set to change on July 15 to allow two successions per tenancy.
Andrea has to hand in her keys over by July 4.
Andrea's niece Katrina said: "All that Andrea is asking for is for the council to show some compassion and allow her to succeed the tenancy as she would have been allowed to, should her mother have passed away later in the year."
Andrea added: "I'm not sleeping anyway from grieving for my mam but with this on top, it's like mental cruelty. It's draining."
The council says it is "sympathetic to the situation" and added the authority must balance Andrea's wishes with "the significant need and demand for social housing".
Andrea, who has never lived anywhere else and was even born in the home, has been battling depression and anxiety since January and has been prescribed antidepressants.
As the youngest of three siblings, it fell to Andrea to become a full-time carer as her parents' health issues worsened, while her brother and sister went on to have families of their own. Her dad had serious mobility and chest problems, and her mum struggled with diabetes and severe arthritis.
Katrina said: "When Andrea's father died her mother’s name was not on the original tenancy, even though they had lived there together as husband and wife the whole of their married life. Therefore her mother had to put her name on the tenancy. In the council's eyes this was seen as a succession on the tenancy."
Andrea added: "I have dedicated my life to care for both my mother and father, taking a burden off the authority that may have had to provide care for them both if I had not. I have had no opportunity to have a family of my own or have a social life. I’ve never been able to go out with friends or meet people due to being a carer in my home for most of my life.
"The only friends that I have are the close neighbours in the street. I’m confident that if any of the neighbours were approached on my behalf, they would tell the same story of my life that I have."
Andrea's mum died in January due to a perforated bowel. "She was marvellous," said Andrea. "Everything she could give me, she would give me.
"The quick passing of my mother has left me in a state of shock and I feel that the only thing I have left is my home. If I had to relocate elsewhere I would also lose the only few friends that I have in neighbours around me. I’m not sure how I could cope if this was the case. The thought of emptying the house and moving my late mother's possessions is giving me nightmares after such a short space of time."
Around 700 people have signed a petition calling for Caerphilly Council to allow Andrea to keep her home, but due to the low number of council homes in Abertysswg, she fears the council will place her outside the village she has always called home.
Andrea claims the council has not told her whether she will be offered alternative accommodation or where this could be.
A Caerphilly Council spokesperson said: “Whilst we are sympathetic to the situation Ms Long finds herself in, as you have correctly stated, in accordance with the Housing Act 1985, there is only one right to succession for a secure tenancy. As the late Mrs Long succeeded to the tenancy on the death of her late husband there is no further right to succession. Had the late Mr and Mrs Long been joint tenants a succession would still have occurred following the death of Mr Long.
"Regrettably there are occasions where occupants such as Ms Long have no statutory right to succeed to the tenancy of the property where they have resided, and the council, as landlord, has to balance the wishes of the occupier with our obligations to address the significant need and demand for social housing from residents throughout the county borough. These situations are dealt with on a case by case basis through a management discretion procedure. If successful, management discretion can be used to allocate a tenancy to such an occupant, at either their current home or an alternative property.
"When considering applications for the exercise of management discretion a number of factors are taken into account, including how long the remaining occupiers have lived there, the size and type of the accommodation, the size and housing needs of the occupying household and their personal circumstances, including health, and the level of need and demand for the property from applicants on the common housing register.
"As explained in the letter provided to Ms Long, there is a process by which she can appeal the decision of the management discretion panel. This offers the opportunity to request a review of the decision and to provide any further information she feels relevant, along with the opportunity to attend a hearing in person. To date we have not received a request for the review of this decision from Ms Long.”
