Family whose home was destroyed by fire in Victory Drive, Kings Hill, now face another housing battle
16:14, 19 August 2020
updated: 16:40, 19 August 2020
A mother-of-two who lost her family home in Kings Hill after a devastating fire says the ‘nightmare’ is only getting worse as her housing provider won’t let her accept a property she has been offered.
Angela Scott’s home in Victory Drive, where she lived with her children James, 18, and Sophie, 16, went up in flames just minutes after she had left to get a bus to Maidstone.
The family have been living in a Premier Inn hotel room in Allington since the blaze, which happened on August 7, while Clarion Housing Group search for a temporary home.
Estate agents, Kings Hill Properties (KHP), offered to move the family into a three-bedroom home in Bramley Way on a reduced rent but Ms Scott says Clarion will not let her take it.
The 43-year-old, a former teaching assistant at the Discovery School, said: “I’ve been told we can move in if Clarion approves it and we can be there until our home is rebuilt.
“The house is perfect for us and we could move in tomorrow but Clarion won’t allow it because it’s not one of theirs.
“When I was on the phone a member of staff told me there was a shortage of social housing on the hill so if I have to wait for them, I don’t know where I will end up. It’s just a nightmare.
“I need to stay on the hill because I can’t drive, and my son’s whole support network is here and it’s near my daughter who is currently in hospital.
“I’ve said I’ll take a one or a two-bedroom flat if it means I can stay here but they don’t seem to be listening.”
Ms Scott says it will be at least six months before her home on Victory Drive is safe to move back into.
She added: “My son and I are still sharing a tiny hotel room and it’s not practical.
“I’m grateful Clarion has put us up but it said to me it can’t afford to keep us here for too long yet it is not accepting the help or moving very quickly to get us out.”
A Clarion Housing spokesperson said: “We appreciate this is a stressful situation for the family and have been providing support and temporary hotel accommodation that meets the family’s needs while we assess the extent of the damage to their home and what works are needed to it.
"As a landlord we have a responsibility to provide suitable alternative accommodation either in one of our available homes or through trusted providers who we know meet the rigorous standards we expect for our residents.
"The property identified by the resident is let by a private provider, not a registered provider, and this may mean the household loses some of their existing tenancy rights while in the private rented property.
"We will continue to work with the household to make sure their accommodation needs are met until the work to their home is complete and it is safe to return to.”
The blaze, which firefighters say started accidentally in an upstairs bedroom, ripped through the first floor and the roof, leaving the house uninhabitable.
Two fire crews spent almost four hours fighting the flames.
The family lost everything including their two dogs.
Rosie, a Staffordshire bull terrier Labrador cross, and Jim, a Staffie, were tragically inside at the time and could not be saved.
A neighbour’s home was also damaged by smoke and water and that family are staying with relatives while repair works are carried out.
A fundraising page was also set up in the wake of the tragedy, money which Ms Scott says she wants to share with her neighbour.
Overwhelmed by the generosity, Ms Scott said she has never felt more like part of the community and would be heartbroken if she had to leave.
