'Vulnerable' woman faces eviction
threat
17/6/2004.
A woman suffering from 'extreme depression
and paranoia' is facing eviction after Camden
Council agreed her home could be handed over for
re-development.
A six-week deadline for Teleica Kirkland to
move out of her one bedroom flat in Shoot Up Hill,
West Hampstead, passed yesterday (Wednesday).
But neither Camden, which owns the building
nor Pathmeads Housing Association which runs it and
is pushing through the eviction, has offered to
re-house her.
Ms Kirkland, 29, told the New Journal: "Every
day I'm afraid to open the door and see what's in
my letter box. I'm in complete and utter distress.
I'm being treated by the doctor for extreme
depression and paranoia, which has been much worse
since I heard about being evicted".
Pathmeads took over the house from the West
Hampstead Housing Association, which collapsed
after a financial scandal.
But Camden has agreed that Pathmeads can hand
it on to the Cooperative Development Society to
refurbish it and re-let it.
Ms. Kirkland said: "No one's told me anything
and I'm hanging in limbo. I'm afraid people will
break in and throw my stuff on the street. I'm
stuck waiting for others to decide my life and it's
horrible".
Camden has not offered to rehouse her because
she has been a "short-life" tenant for only four
and a half years, and not the five years it says
are required.
Ms Kirkland, who works part-time at the
Natural History Museum, said: "I can't believe six
months makes so much difference. Knowing this makes
my situation so much worse".
Lib Dem councillor for West Hampstead, John
Bryant, said: "Teleica is a vulnerable tenant with
mental health problems. Too many decisions about
housing don't take into account the needs of human
beings".
A Camden council spokesman said: "Any duty to
re-house Ms. Kirkland is down to Pathmeads. But she
is also on a waiting list for council housing and
we're currently looking at a medical report to see
if she can move up the priority list".
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