Homeless family is offered help

A GUERNSEY hotelier has offered to set up a fund to get a mother and three young children re-homed in a States house. Offers have flooded in from islanders to help the family after their plight was highlighted by the Guernsey Press.

Tony Gover yesterday offered auxiliary nurse Marilyne Jennings and her daughters, Rheanna, 6, Carine 8, and Delphine, 13, a winter let at Vazon Bay Hotel free of charge.

He also said he was prepared to set up a fund and provide builders if necessary to help renovate a vacant States house property at Bas Courtil, in St Saviour's, which Mrs Jennings believed might be an ideal home.

The offers came after Mrs Jennings decided as a last resort to move into her parents' three-bedroom home at Bas Courtil Estate, which she believes means she will have to go back to square one and re-apply for a States house.

'It's not an ideal situation but I felt I had no choice,' she said.

She is having to share a room with her three daughters, sleeping in a double bed with the oldest while the two youngest use a mattress on the floor.

She is a Guernsey woman and works four nights a week at the hospital to help subsidise her family.

The family had to vacate their home in Les Osmonds Lane as the lease was up.

Her daughters had been left wondering to where Santa would deliver their presents.

Mrs Jennings said that Mr Gover's gesture was 'absolutely lovely'.

'It's nice to know there are people out there who care,' she said.

'I just want somewhere we can settle where I can afford the rent and can call home and not have to worry about moving out in a year's time.'

Mr Gover called the situation 'an absolute disgrace' and stressed that the Housing Department had known about the ending of the lease for some time.

'We have all got children and you are coming up to Christmas and they have not got a house. It's absolutely atrocious. This is a born and bred Guernsey girl with three children who had nowhere to live. That is not right ' that is not human,' he said.

'She can stay with her kids free at the Vazon Bay Hotel until she sorts it out. I would make sure they have a lovely Christmas and see the New Year in.'

'Put yourself in that lady's position. She works in a hospital. My family have been in there for operations and have had somebody giving us the best care and she was being forced out onto the streets for Christmas. I'm not going to have that under any circumstances,' he said.

Other islanders offered support, including Lee Eggimann, from Charman and Co Estate Agents, who said one of its clients had offered to let their property at a concessionary rate. The house is usually rented at '1,200 per month but it would be offered at the same rate Mrs Jennings paid for her previous property until she could be housed by the States.

The Housing Department said that it could not comment on individual cases, but advised that people should not vacate their home without having secured alternative accommodation.

It said a formal Notice-to-Quit has to be served and the matter considered by the court before anyone can be evicted from a property.

The court takes into account the circumstances of the tenant and landlord in deciding on the period of stay of eviction, said a spokesman.

Where no breach of tenancy has occurred, it can be for some months.

'The department cannot allow persons who refuse to follow its advice on the procedures that apply to jump the housing queue. If it were to do so, this could jeopardise the department's ability to assist those persons who have acted responsibly and followed the correct procedures,' said the spokesman.

During a stay of eviction, Housing Department staff work with the person to assist them in finding accommodation, which includes working with other agencies such as Sarnia Housing.

The location of accommodation offered is determined by what is available at the time.

The spokesman explained that people must reapply for housing if they move from one property to another. 'A person can also ask that the six-moth period is waived and the department will consider whether it is appropriate.'

It clarified that the vacant home at Bas Courtil Estate, to which Mrs Jennings had expressed a desire to move, was vacated in September and the job of renovating it had been placed with a contractor.