Couple living in tent outside Maidenhead Town Hall not a 'priority' for housing

A homeless couple living outside Maidenhead Town Hall say the council’s priority housing system ‘needs to be changed fast’.

James and Carrie Flower have been sofa surfing and intermittently living in a tent on the grounds of the council offices since April 10.

The pair, in their forties from Maidenhead, ran a cleaning business and lived in council housing for years before leaving to work as pub landlords in Medway, Kent, early last year.

But the tenancy ended abruptly after 14 months, leaving the couple with minimal time to find new housing.

Carrie, 43, said: “We thought the business opportunity would be the perfect thing, and it would last, but it just went totally wrong. We had to get the ball rolling quickly and come back to Maidenhead.”

A lack of connections and minimal time spent in the area made them unsuccessful in receiving Medway Council support, so they applied for homelessness in RBWM.

While the council’s Housing Options Service determined they were homeless and eligible for assistance, they had no ‘priority need’ for accommodation, and an email received on Monday confirmed they did not meet any criteria.

This is because they were not at risk of abuse, pregnant or homeless due to disaster.

But Carrie and James believe they are eligible due to a chronic illness and the mental health of both themselves and their two sons.

Carrie’s eldest son, 18, has ADHD and autism and is currently sofa surfing with friends, while her 11-year-old son is living with his father while undergoing a custody dispute, she said.

Meanwhile, she said James’ mental health is in ‘dire straits’ and he hasn’t been able to attend his weekly doctor visits for chronic leg conditions, which worsen in the heat.

“I’ve gone into survival mode now. We don’t know where to go from here,” said Carrie.

“All I want is a roof over my head so I can get my boys back and start being a family again. This is no way of living. It’s not living at all, and it’s terrible.”

The council has drawn up a personal housing plan and referred the couple to Beam, an organisation that secures private rented accommodation for homeless applicants.

However, due to a historic individual voluntary arrangement (IVA) – a court-approved agreement with creditors to repay debts – James, 40, said private renting is ‘impossible’ through the charity.

They have received donations through TikTok livestreams and a GoFundMe page, which enabled the couple and their dog, Sapphire, to buy food and stay in the Maidenhead Travelodge during the recent hot weather.

“We previously used my wages, and we’ve been able to get by, only just, but holding down a full-time job while homeless is next to impossible,” James added.

“Now the money is running out, we have to start selling off everything we’ve got in storage.”

Aside from being self-employed cleaners, James was a DJ and ran an events company before they left Maidenhead last year.

“Without a roof over our head, how can we wash ourselves, wash our clothes, keep ourselves clean to work?” said Carrie.

“Living like this, I’ve lost all my dignity, and I don’t think I’ll ever get that back. I didn’t ask for this situation, I didn’t even think in my wildest dreams I would end up like this.”

“We’ve phoned, we’ve done everything, we’ve exhausted the resources,” added James.

The pair have requested a formal review of their case and said their situation has made them ‘disgusted’ and ‘ashamed to be British’.

“This whole system is corrupt; it doesn’t work,” said Carrie.

“We’ve worked here, we were born here, and for them not to have any compassion and to turn us away is absolutely devastating.

“[You] meet the criteria because [you] have no home and that’s that. Something needs to be changed, and it needs to be changed fast.”

A council spokesperson said: “The safety and wellbeing of our residents is our highest priority.

“While we cannot comment on individual cases, people presenting as homeless in the borough will be assessed by our team in line with our duties under Housing Legislation.

“Personal housing plans are then created, considering each individual’s needs, in order to provide them with support."