Family Faces Eviction After 7 Years of Rent Payments
Imagine paying rent for seven long years, only to be evicted from your home. Anyolina Diaz De Los Santos, a mother of four, experienced this nightmare firsthand. Her family’s life took a sudden and challenging turn when they were forced to leave their home in Orpington, south-east London, in November last year.
Bromley Council stepped in to provide temporary accommodation for the family in Dartford, Kent. However, their newfound stability was short-lived, as just five months later, they were once again uprooted from their residence. The reason? The landlord reclaimed the property from the local authority.
With no other choice, Anyolina and her family had to relocate even farther, this time to temporary accommodation in Ashford, according to reports from The i.
The relocation had significant consequences for the children’s education. The lengthy three-hour round-trip train journey to school cost £45, forcing Anyolina to withdraw her kids from their previous school. Her eldest child even missed his Year 9 exam, and the younger twins had to wait three long months before they could enroll in a local school.
Anyolina shared her family’s struggle, saying, “[My eldest son] has been in the same school for so long. It has been very sad to see how he tries hard not to let this situation affect his life, but he already refuses to make friends.”
Adding to the family’s woes, Anyolina had to give up her job as a cleaner in London. The separation from their community also left them feeling isolated and disconnected.
She explained, “Living in private rent, we never thought that the economy would impact our lives in such a way that we had to depend on the help offered by the city council, something that we are not looking for as a family. We want to live in peace and give the best to our children.”
Anyolina expressed her overwhelming burden, saying, “Although I am grateful to be under a roof, I do not deny seeing myself with so many debts and expenses; my head wants to explode. My husband does not speak much, but when I see his face… I notice sadness and helplessness.”
A spokeswoman for the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities acknowledged the difficulties faced by people in the private rented sector. She mentioned the Renters (Reform) Bill, currently progressing through Parliament, as a step toward a fairer deal for both renters and landlords.
As this situation unfolds, The Sun Online has reached out to Bromley Council for comment on the matter.