A disabled pensioner has been left feeling “suicidal” after being evicted from his Wolverhampton home and placed in unsuitable temporary accommodation, following a decade-long dispute with his housing provider.
Alan Johnson, aged 68, who suffers from osteoarthritis, was evicted from his property on Havelock Close, Bradmore, on 29 July where he had lived for 14 years. He claims that after eviction by Wolverhampton Homes, he was initially placed in a room without a window in a house housing ex-drug offenders along Tettenhall Road, Chapel Ash.
Mr Johnson said the room had been condemned by the council and he only spent a week there before moving to a quieter property nearby still managed by the hostel. He expressed ongoing distress about his circumstances and the suitability of his temporary accommodation.
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Following eviction, Mr Johnson briefly stayed in emergency hotel accommodation arranged by the council, then slept in his car before being directed to The Solace hostel by the council’s homeless team.
He described the seven-day notice he received to remove his belongings from his former home, including treasured possessions of his late parents, only became known to him after a neighbour alerted him to it. With mobility difficulties, he relied on neighbours to help clear his former home and store items temporarily in a neighbour’s shed.
Mr Johnson has bid on over 100 council properties and more than 200 private rentals without success, rejecting what he described as unsuitable offers from Wolverhampton Homes, which he termed “shoddy”. He emphasised his desire for a small flat or bungalow without a garden due to his physical limitations.
Wolverhampton Homes stated that Mr Johnson was not the registered tenant following his mother’s death in 2016 but was allowed to remain in the property for ten years as they sought alternative housing for him. They said they offered him more than 20 different homes during that time, which he declined. The organisation stressed their commitment to providing suitable housing amid a waiting list of over 8,200 families.
They also refuted claims that Mr Johnson had been placed in accommodation with a windowless room, stating the council did not do so.
City of Wolverhampton Council’s Homeless Services team reported they offered support to Mr Johnson multiple times, but these offers were declined.
Mr Johnson’s case highlights the challenges faced by vulnerable individuals caught in long-running housing disputes and the difficulties in securing appropriate alternative accommodation.