‘I feel so unsafe’: Domestic abuse victim left to ‘sofa surf’ by council

A women escaping domestic violence, who has been waiting for a home for five years, says she has been denied safe accommodation by her local authority without a reason why.

The 46-year-old woman, who will remain anonymous for legal reasons, is a victim of domestic violence and stalking.

She has been “sofa surfing” with friends to escape her attacker for the past five years.

In May the woman’s stalker appeared at her local railway station as she was going to work and got on the same carriage after her. Her restraining order against him expired earlier last month.

She said: “I was literally shaking, I feel so unsafe, always looking over my shoulder. How can I live like this?

“This is scary. I have no family here for me to turn to.”

The woman has been working in Southwark since 2018, the same year she applied to join Southwark’s Homesearch bidding scheme on the grounds of overcrowding and medical issues. 

She was given an account with the scheme and started to bid on properties.

Later that year she was a victim of domestic violence, a restraining order was put in place and she was advised by the police to change address, which she explained to the council. 

Despite her urgent need for accommodation, the victim claims Southwark council has suspended her account four times since 2018. 

On one occasion, on September 26, 2022, the woman’s bid finally gained the first position on a property but she claims her account was suddenly suspended.

She said: “When it said I was suspended I thought it was because they were finally going to offer me a property. 

“But then I find out my account has been blocked.”

The woman complained to the council, asking why her account had been suspended but for months she received no answer.

Then on May 17, she was informed by the council that her application was suspended pending further enquiries because she did not “meet the residential requirements.”

The council requires proof of identity, current address and evidence of your right to reside in the UK if you are not a British Citizen as well as supporting medical information where required.

The woman claims all of these documents have been submitted to the council.

Currently, the woman is sharing a room with a number of strangers. She suffers from IBS and has to share the toilet with at least six others.

A spokeswoman from Southwark council said: “We take any case where domestic abuse is involved incredibly seriously and experts on domestic abuse review every case concerned within our housing service.

“We have taken a formal decision not to offer permanent council housing for the person concerned, after carefully considering her needs, including any local connection to Southwark.

“We are also reviewing that decision to ensure that it the right one when the whole picture of the person’s circumstances is taken into account.

“We will continue to support the person concerned as much as we can but we are unlikely to be able to offer permanent council housing in this instance.”

The woman submitted a second complaint to the council on Monday regarding their decision.

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