UK
Mum and three children living in Travelodge because renting is ‘too expensive’Jordan King
Tuesday 2 Aug 2022
METRO UK
METRO UK
Charlene Pascoe said it is very difficult to put her two-year-old to bed (Picture: SWNS)
A family have been living out of one hotel room with no kitchen since they were evicted 15 weeks ago.
Charlene Pascoe, 34, and her three children were kicked out of their home in St Blazey, Cornwall, in March when their landlord decided to move back into the property.
Private renting is ‘just too expensive’ for Charlene so she needs the council’s help to find somewhere to stay.
The council put the family up in a Premier Inn for a week before moving them to a Travelodge in St Austell, where they have stayed since.
Freya, 12, Kieran, 10, and Darcy, two, all share one room with three beds, no kitchen and no living area.
Their mum is struggling with Darcy who often can’t sleep through the night because of noise in the hotel.
Charlene said: ‘It’s the summer holiday and people are often slamming doors and shouting.
‘It is also ridiculously hot but when you open the windows there is more noise pollution.’
A family have been living out of one hotel room with no kitchen since they were evicted 15 weeks ago.
Charlene Pascoe, 34, and her three children were kicked out of their home in St Blazey, Cornwall, in March when their landlord decided to move back into the property.
Private renting is ‘just too expensive’ for Charlene so she needs the council’s help to find somewhere to stay.
The council put the family up in a Premier Inn for a week before moving them to a Travelodge in St Austell, where they have stayed since.
Freya, 12, Kieran, 10, and Darcy, two, all share one room with three beds, no kitchen and no living area.
Their mum is struggling with Darcy who often can’t sleep through the night because of noise in the hotel.
Charlene said: ‘It’s the summer holiday and people are often slamming doors and shouting.
‘It is also ridiculously hot but when you open the windows there is more noise pollution.’
The staff at Travelodge in St Austell have been ‘amazing throughout’ (Picture: SWNS)
Thankfully, Charlene’s mum Sonia, 57, lives nearby and the family use her house to cook, eat and socialise.
Charlene said: ‘Every day organising meals is stressful as we have no where to store food so it’s daily trips to the shops.
‘We then cook the food from that shop at mums and do it all again the next day.
‘I don’t know what we’d do if we didn’t have mum’s place because as soon as we wake up in the morning that’s where we go. We then only come back to the Travelodge to sleep.’
Thankfully, Charlene’s mum Sonia, 57, lives nearby and the family use her house to cook, eat and socialise.
Charlene said: ‘Every day organising meals is stressful as we have no where to store food so it’s daily trips to the shops.
‘We then cook the food from that shop at mums and do it all again the next day.
‘I don’t know what we’d do if we didn’t have mum’s place because as soon as we wake up in the morning that’s where we go. We then only come back to the Travelodge to sleep.’
Charlene said she looks for houses on the council’s website every day ‘but you can only bid on one property a week and it’s always so busy’.
She admits being very stressed as she claims she gets ‘no communication’ from the council and has to find out from reception staff whether her room has been paid for every three weeks.
Charlene said she looks for a new home on the council’s website every day
(Picture: SWNS)
But workers at the hotel have been ‘amazing throughout and are always willing to help’ the family, she said.
They even allow Kieran and Freya to watch TV in the cafe area so Charlene can put Darcy to bed.
Charlene is responsible for the £3.10 per day cleaning charge, which she believes has now built up to £350, but she does not know when she has to pay it.
She said: ‘All I can do is keep looking for council housing in the hope that I get lucky – although at the minute it seems like there is no light at the end of the tunnel.’
Cornwall council said: ‘We sympathise with the position that some residents are finding themselves in as Cornwall continues to face extreme pressure on the availability of housing. We are committed to providing support for any resident faced with homelessness. However, there is a high demand for accommodation, including our own housing stock, properties that we rent, and other accommodation.
‘We are working hard to find suitable emergency accommodation for all those who need it and are investing £39m to increase the Council’s own stock of temporary accommodation to reduce the reliance on short-term hotel and B&B accommodation.
‘This includes the purchase of new modular homes, buying and refurbishing disused properties and providing dedicated ‘move on’ accommodation to support former rough sleepers on their journey towards settled, permanent, homes.’
But workers at the hotel have been ‘amazing throughout and are always willing to help’ the family, she said.
They even allow Kieran and Freya to watch TV in the cafe area so Charlene can put Darcy to bed.
Charlene is responsible for the £3.10 per day cleaning charge, which she believes has now built up to £350, but she does not know when she has to pay it.
She said: ‘All I can do is keep looking for council housing in the hope that I get lucky – although at the minute it seems like there is no light at the end of the tunnel.’
Cornwall council said: ‘We sympathise with the position that some residents are finding themselves in as Cornwall continues to face extreme pressure on the availability of housing. We are committed to providing support for any resident faced with homelessness. However, there is a high demand for accommodation, including our own housing stock, properties that we rent, and other accommodation.
‘We are working hard to find suitable emergency accommodation for all those who need it and are investing £39m to increase the Council’s own stock of temporary accommodation to reduce the reliance on short-term hotel and B&B accommodation.
‘This includes the purchase of new modular homes, buying and refurbishing disused properties and providing dedicated ‘move on’ accommodation to support former rough sleepers on their journey towards settled, permanent, homes.’
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