'I called Milton Keynes Council 152 times and still didn't get help,' says disabled mum-of-three about to be made homeless

A disabled mum of three young children has described how she’s made more than 150 phone calls and sent 70 emails begging the council’s homeless department to help her.

In all that time, Chelsea Richards says she has only once had anyone call her back.

"My family is about to be made homeless at any minute. We have no idea what we’re going to do. I desperately need help but I just can't believe how difficult it is to actually talk to anyone in the homeless department at the council,” she said.

"Each time you call, you’re on hold for about 45 minutes. Then you’re put through to a call centre where they take a message for your homeless advisor to call you back. But they never do.

"I’ve spent an average of two hours a day calling MK Council every day for the past five months. It’s driving me crazy.”

Chelsea’s plight started in June when the landlord of their privately rented home in Emerson Valley gave them three months notice to quit their home because he wanted the house back.

After her husband Ben was made redundant during the Covid crisis, the family got into debt and took out an IVA (individual voluntary arrangement) to avoid bankruptcy. This means no other private landlord in MK will consider them.

Ben is still not working and is a full-time carer for Chelsea, who has a physical disability as well as mental health problems.

"Our only solution was to register as homeless and hope MK Council would help us,” she said. “But I had no idea just how hard this would be.”

Within hours of receiving the eviction notice, Chelsea registered as homeless with the council. She was contacted a week later, had a lengthy interview, and was allocated a homeless advisor.

“Over the next three months, I emailed my advisor 43 times, called direct 72 times and went into the council to ask them to give her a message 25 times. During that time I had just one call back from her,” she said.

The moving date came and went and the landlord started court proceedings. In desperation, Chelsea called the council again.

“After being passed from pillar to post, I was told my advisor had left her job 10 days previously. I hadn’t been informed,” she said.

“Eventually, a month ago, I was given the details of my new officer. But loads more calls and emails later, I still haven’t managed to actually speak to her.”

Out of her 70 emails sent, only six have ever received replies, said Chelsea.

“The landlord is going down the expediated route in court, which means the bailiffs could turn up any day. I’m terrified we’ll have to sleep on the streets.

"We have literally just been ignored. The council are a disgrace. It's disgusting and something needs doing so other families don't end up like us.”

The Citizen asked MK Council if this kind of service was usual for people registering as homeless.

A spokesman said: “This is not the experience we would want any customer to have. We are reaching out to apologise and to give an update on progress.”