Help Dani and Poppy to stay in their home

I have lived in my home since the day I was born and my parents even longer. This is the house my parents lived in when they got married, the home they brought me home from the hospital to, the home I brought Poppy home to too. The house where I spent a happy childhood with my parents. The house where my Mum passed peacefully in. The home I am meant to have for my lifetime with Poppy.

The house has always been rented and always been the same property owner for the 45 years my parents have been here. It was always a verbal tenancy agreement that if we looked after the property it would be at a fair rent for my parents life time and mine. My family have looked after this house as if it was our own for all these years undertaking all works including installing central heating, replacing windows and doors, building a conservatory, literally everything at our own expense. This was always absolutely fine as we were left to live in our home as if it was our own.

My home is where I have some of my most precious memories of the time I did have with my parents. It’s also the home I shared with Poppys Dad before he passed away. This house holds all of those memories for me. Through all of the hard times of losing my Mum, Dad and Adam this house has been my safe space. It feels like an extension of my family. It now has been incredible to be raising Poppy here on my own but feeling a stronger connection to our lost loved ones.

I am now in a very difficult position where I am being made to feel backed in to a corner to sign a tenancy agreement that is not what was always promised. The new agreement works mean I could just be served 2 months notice and could have to leave the house that has always been my home and is now Poppys home too. It has become very stressful and last week they issued a notice to increase my rent by £600 a month. This has now been paused but their solicitors letter states they reserve the right to reissue this. Whilst I do appreciate the compassion shown by not enforcing this straight away the letter that came has been written by a solicitor and I need more than just some legal advice now to help sort this as I only have a short window of time to be able to contest this still. Just to note they aren’t saying about evicting me, but this is something from the agreement they want me to sign that could then lawfully happen.

I now need to pay for expensive legal representation to help resolve this. I am not trying to be an unreasonable person I just want to protect the rights I have and like any of us at the moment life is tough. I work full time to support me and Poppy but a £600 a month rent increase would mean I can no longer afford to even put food on the table.

After the suggestion of a few very supportive friends who have been a real shoulder to cry on this past while; they suggested I set this up to allow anyone who is able to help me to help me try to secure mine and Poppys home. I know how tough times are at the moment so understand completely if people can’t help with this and I feel truly awful for having to ask for help. It has been breaking my heart to think of possibly having to lose the home I have always known.