An army veteran fears he and his family will soon be homeless after “begging” for a house without success.
Brian Chalmers, 56, lives with his partner and her two granddaughters in private rented accommodation in Brechin.
But the landlord now needs the property for his own family and Angus Council has been unable to provide housing.
Brian received a medical discharge from the army 26 years ago after serving with the Household Cavalry for 14 years.
When he left the army he was told he would not be able to work again and was homeless until the Royal British Legion and a veterans’ organisation helped him find the house he currently lives in.
But now, faced with an eviction order, Brian and his family have nowhere to go as he cannot find another private landlord who will accept tenants on benefits.
‘We have gone through hell’
His current landlord warned Brian that his family would need to move out last November, and since then they have been trying to secure a council house without success.
He has now been told by the courts that he has around six weeks before he will be forced to move out of the property.
Brian said: “There will be a hearing on September 29 and I will need to move out two weeks after that.”
“I am absolutely desperate.
“We have gone through hell already and now I really don’t know where to turn next.”
Brian and his partner are the legal guardians of the granddaughters, aged seven and four.
But he fears they may be split up if he declares them homeless due to a lack of suitable accommodation.
‘I’m terrified that the family will be separated’
Brian said: “I am terrified that in order to find us a home we will all have to become homeless.
“I am even more terrified that the family will be separated.
“I understand there is sheltered accommodation [that would] take the girls along with their main carer – in this case their grandmother.
“But that would mean the family would be separated and we desperately don’t want that.”
He said: “These girls may not be my own blood but I love them deeply.
“Their grandmother and I have also been together for 13 years and obviously none of us want to be separated.
“We have been begging the council for a house but they say there is nothing they can do to help us.
“We have looked into further private rental but we can’t afford the initial outgoings for that.
I am at my wits’ end and don’t know where to turn next… I just need somewhere for us all to be together
“We would also need to find a guarantor and we have no one. We also have a beloved pet dog and most private landlords won’t take pets.”
Applications for social housing have been unsuccessful and with private landlords rejecting them, Brian does not know what to do.
“I am at my wits’ end and don’t know where to turn next,” he added
“If [the council] gave me an old house of top of a mountain I would be delighted.
“I just need somewhere for us all to go to be together.”
‘Pressure on availability’ of council houses
An Angus Council spokeswoman said: “While we do not comment on individual cases, Angus Council tries to help anyone in housing need by providing housing options advice to help them plan for their accommodation requirements, as well as at times of crisis.
“We work jointly with our housing association partners to ensure that our social housing stock is used effectively to meet identified needs, but because there is such pressure on availability we also encourage customers to explore private rented opportunities, as these can often provide good housing solutions in particular areas.”