A heartbroken mum could lose the 'only real home she's ever known' due to a little-known housing rule - leaving her fearing for her family's future.
Just seven weeks ago, Anna Martin's mother died from bowel cancer a day after her 79th birthday. Veronica Martin spent her final moments in the living room of the house where she raised her children, a place she shared with her daughter Anna and her grandson.
In a cruel twist of fate, just days before her mother's funeral, Anna was informed by Livv Housing that she would have to vacate the property and find a new home as she was not eligible to 'succeed' the tenancy. The stress and uncertainty have left Anna unable to properly grieve for her mother.
Now, Anna sits in her mother's favourite armchair, surrounded by family memories. A large framed photograph of her mother rests on a side table, below it are unopened presents from Veronica's last birthday - a poignant reminder of the love and loss felt deeply by the family.
The Martins have always lived close to each other. Before moving in with her mother, Anna resided just around the corner in St Peter's Close with her two sons, often seeking emotional support at her mother's house, reports the Liverpool Echo. In 2018, the pressures of single parenthood overwhelmed Anna, leading her to move in with her mother, Veronica. Initially, Veronica was healthy, but a fall that left her house-bound marked the beginning of her health's rapid decline.
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Anna Martin faces possible eviction from her late mothers family home in Kirkby,where she cared for her (Andrew Teebay/Liverpool Echo)Tragically, Veronica was diagnosed with bowel cancer and died in March this year. Recounting the painful experience, Anna said: "Every family member we've lost, has died in this house. There's been birthdays, anniversaries, births and deaths - lots of happy memories and some not so happy. The worry about losing our home means we can't begin to grieve. We all feel numb. We can't take anything in."
After caring for her mum and living in the Tudor View house in Kirkby for six years, Anna hoped to inherit the tenancy. However, mere days after her mother's passing, she faced the harsh reality of 'succession rights' and the prospect of eviction. Anna expressed her shock and frustration: "I knew nothing about 'succession rights' until after mum died. We never thought about her dying and were only focused on our life together. When you've had a family in a home for so many years, why would you want to re-let it when we need a home."
Anna's sister, Tracy, who lives just a minute's walk away, is losing sleep over her sister's future and how they will maintain their close bond, especially in these trying times. Adding to Anna's woes is her deteriorating health. She is scheduled for major surgery this year, including a full hysterectomy, and doctors have warned that she will also lose her appendix.
The recovery period for these procedures is three months, and Anna is worried about where she will recuperate. This uncertainty may force her to delay the operation, putting her health at further risk. Shelter's website explains that succession refers to the right to inherit a tenancy when the tenant passes away. The successor must have lived with the tenant for at least a year and the property must be their main residence at the time of the tenant's death.
However, succession rights can only be exercised once, which can lead to complications as there are many situations where the spirit of the rule doesn't align with its application. This is where Anna's predicament lies. Her brother, John, was granted succession rights in 2011 but passed away in 2014.
Despite Veronica's death this year and the fact that no succession to Tudor View has actually occurred, the property no longer holds succession rights due to the previous allocation. Anna faces the grim prospect of eviction from her home at Tudor View as Livv Housing insists on adhering to a strict succession policy, which bars her from inheriting the property after her mother's death. She spoke of her situation, explaining that the housing officer at Livv Housing has been supportive and is actively seeking a resolution for her family.
However, Livv Housing stands firm on its policy, common among social housing providers, which does not entitle Anna to succeed the property, with her stay only extended until May 20. A spokesperson for Livv Housing said: "We are truly sympathetic to Ms Martin's situation and sorry for the recent loss of her mother.
"Housing legislation outlines that we are only able to grant the right to succession for a secure tenancy once, and in this instance, the tenancy had already passed to Ms Martin's brother. We have a responsibility to address the significant demand for social housing throughout the borough, and ensure customers are supported with homes that are appropriate for their needs. We're continuing to liaise with the family to provide housing advice and assistance."
There are demands emerging within the housing industry for a change in this legislation, to permit an expansion of statutory succession rights. On top of that, several housing providers are adopting a flexible policy on succession rights, where the organisation grants approval based on individual circumstances.
Livv Housing has implemented a similar policy which articulates: "A discretionary succession is where the person requesting to succeed to the tenancy was left in the property on the death of the tenant but has no statutory or contractual right to succeed. They are asking us to exercise our discretion to let them stay as a tenant: we are under no obligation to exercise that discretion."
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For her physical and mental wellbeing, Anna is hoping that such an exemption will be made before her prospective eviction date on May 20, as she faces leaving the only true home she has ever known. She said: "My mum always said 'go to the paper, no one likes bad publicity' and that's why I'm sharing our story."
Anna and her family have started a petition in the hopes of gaining support for their campaign to stay in the family home. You can offer your support by visiting the website here.
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