Homeless sisters hope for their own place to live (From Borehamwood Times)

Homeless sisters from Borehamwood hope for their own place to live

5:00pm Wednesday 8th February 2012 in News By Bruce Thain

Homeless sisters hope for their own place to live

Two sisters with diabetes who are living in a hotel after being made homeless last year, have said delays in rehousing them mean they are forced to spend all their money on eating out.

They have said they frustrated at having to spend what little money they have on food they can’t afford.

Melissa, 28 and Sophie Coleman, 25, are both from Borehamwood and have been placed in temporary accommodation at the Ibis hotel in Elstree Way by Hertsmere Borough Council for nearly three months.

The sisters are hoping a more permanent place to stay will be found so they can cook for themselves in order to maintain a stable blood sugar level, and so they do not have to rely on expensive takeaways which are eating into their money.

Sophie said: “We just want to be able to cook for ourselves and we don’t want to leave the area and moved somewhere we have no connection.

"We can’t afford to keep spending the little money we have on takeaways and eating out.”

The sisters are not able to cook in their room at the hotel because of health and safety regulations.

Melissa said: “It’s all been very stressful at the moment. I’ve been so bad I’ve had to take a week off work to try and deal with it all.

“We just don’t know if we’re coming or going. We’re not bad people, we just need somewhere stable and secure for both of us.”

Nearly three months ago Sophie became ill and lost her job working in a call centre which meant she fell behind on her rent and had to move out of her room in Shenley Road.

Melissa, who works as a carer at a home in Borehamwood, fell behind on her rent despite having a job and had to move out of her room.

Hertsmere Council told the sisters there is a shortage of social housing in the borough and they would have to go out of the borough, possibly to Tottenham or Edmonton.

Both sisters said council workers had been very helpful and they were thankful for the help they had received.

Sophie claims she and her sister have been priced out of Borehamwood and cannot afford to get a place to rent.

Melissa said: “We feel stuck and we feel very, very isolated. We’re not the only ones going through this ands it’s really starting to get to us.”

Hertsmere Borough Council said cases of homelessness are treated on a case by case basis and because of a lack of social housing in the borough people are put into temporary accommodation in a bed and breakfast.

Over the last year up to December 31, the cost of providing bed and breakfast has cost the council £125,068.

To tackle the problem, Hertsmere Council says it will be announcing a new scheme for the refurbishment of empty properties to offer them to homeless people.