A PENSIONER couple fear they could be made homeless as a result of an impending no-fault eviction on their privately rented property in Wellington.

Derek and Lesley Morton, 68 and 74, who rely on their pensions to live, are just weeks away from potentially being forced to leave their home - and have nowhere else to go.

The couple, who have recently celebrated their 49th wedding anniversary, said the stress of the situation had resulted in them being prescribed antidepressants and ‘bursting into tears.’

Lesley has approached the council to seek help but she says they advised her to force their landlord to take them to court.

She said: “Because of our ages and the fact we have to move every five or six years, we approached the council for help in September of last year. We heard nothing until February despite messaging and phoning.

“We were advised to put in a ‘homeless application’ which we did, and several weeks later received an email telling us we were not homeless, and that we should continue paying rent until the landlady takes us to court.”

In correspondence seen by the Wellington Weekly, Somerset Council told the couple: “While you have a legal right to remain in the property, you should not leave this accommodation until you have secured suitable alternative accommodation. If you move out of this home while you are legally entitled to remain there to live in accommodation that is insecure (with family or friends), this will affect the future help that the council can give you (as you may be treated as becoming homeless intentionally) and it may affect your banding on Homefinder Somerset (as you may have deliberately worsened your circumstances).”

Derek said: “We can’t leave the property when the tenancy expires because the council will consider us willingly homeless and won’t rehouse us.”

The couple are ‘trapped’ in a state of limbo, paying every month to keep half their furniture in storage, while holding out hope the council might offer them accommodation. Derek said: “Even our kitchen table is in storage, we are eating around the television. If we can’t find a private property then we are homeless unless the council rehouse us. It’s not just finding a property that is difficult, it is our age and fitness, too.

“I have had a heart attack and a stroke and we are both on medication for depression. We have had to call on our family to help. What we need is a secure situation where we cannot be told to move on again for no fault of our own.”

The couple’s only daughter, as well as their friends and social clubs are all based in Wellington. The couple fear they may be moved into temporary Bed and Breakfast accommodation away from their support networks, and forced to shell out each month to store their belongings and keep their pet cat of nine years in a cattery.

Lesley said: “The fear is we may have to go into temporary housing which is in effect where they put homeless people, like a hotel.”

Derek added: “We are so frustrated at not being able to get anybody to listen to us. We had a phone call from a housing advisor and after the line went dead we were told we would have to book a new appointment.

Lesley said: “It has affected our sleeping patterns. I went to my coffee morning and someone asked ‘how is it going?’ and I just burst into tears. That is the sort of stress we are under.”

The couple used to be homeowners until Derek was made redundant from his job as a computer programmer at Relyon in 2005, forcing them to sell up, and have been forced to jump from one property to another in the private rental market ever since.

They are now appealing for the council, or a housing association, to help them find secure accommodation where they can live without the lingering threat of eviction should the landlord decide not to renew their tenancy. Lesley said: “What we need is a secure situation where we cannot be told to move on again the way we have here because the landlord has legitimate reason for us to be ejected.  “We want somebody, the council, a housing association, whatever, because we need some security for our health.”

Somerset Council has been approached for comment.