OnTheWight always welcomes a Letter to the Editor to share with our readers – unsurprisingly they don’t always reflect the views of this publication. If you have something you’d like to share, get in touch and of course, your considered comments are welcome below.
This from a reader – name and address withheld for obvious reasons. Ed
After seeing your Letter from Maggie Nelmes about the homeless hostel I thought I’d come and share what I experienced
Back in August 2023 I fled a domestic violence relationship with our six-month-old daughter. I had enough bruises and scars to last me a lifetime, so I became “homeless”.
The whole process is NOT fit for purpose, I was told there were no spaces in the Refuge for us, so we would be put into B&Bs and moved every few weeks.
We weren’t moved until 12 weeks later, then into a B&B that was THREE DOORS away from my ex-partner’s property. The council knew the situation, they knew it wasn’t safe for us, but their response “just stay inside”. Fortunately I was able to gain a non-molestation order, but I shouldn’t have been put in an unsafe position, especially as they have other options further away.
I wouldn’t even put the worst criminals in that building
And then it was time for the hostel, a place not fit for purpose and I wouldn’t even put the worst criminals in that building. Kids running round swearing, banging doors, parents outside drinking, smoking weed, snorting cocaine.
It’s meant to be anti-drugs and no alcohol, but the staff leave at 5pm and aren’t there at weekends.
NOT fit for purpose
It is NOT fit for purpose, when I lived there a woman tried to hang herself in her room, can we blame her? But it all seems to be kept hush hush, leaving people frightened that if you speak out, they could evict you and won’t help again.
There was a fire in my room days before I moved in, when I entered my room was smoke damaged, had a non-fire door temporarily put on with a gap the size of my thigh at the bottom. When I asked when a fire door would be put in – because all I could hear were the kids in the hallway screaming and shouting – I got told, “Well it’s on order from the Mainland so you’ll have to wait”.
At risk of homelessness again
Fortunately I found a private rental and got out within three months, however my rent has now become unaffordable and I find myself once again in the position that I am about to become homeless.
I have promised myself I would NEVER put my child back in that position and would rather sign her into temporary foster care than have her subjected to that life. That is how bad it is, no mother should have to consider doing that just for their child’s physical and mental health.
Housing crisis at breaking point
The housing crisis on the Island is at breaking point, the greed from landlords is disgusting, the need for guarantors when most people can’t obtain them, I cannot fathom how this is happening in 2025.
How the “poor” are treated like absolute dirt, the hostel and the whole homeless system is not fit for purpose, private landlords need more laws attached for fair rents for everyone, something needs to be done locally and nationally, how are we still having such problems with housing as we did in the 60s/70s?
