Vulnerable mum says she was left homeless after rejecting ‘unsafe’ Bracknell flat
A vulnerable woman trying to reunite with her two daughters says she has been left homeless after Bracknell Forest Council refused to offer alternatives when she rejected emergency accommodation in Mount Pleasant, Bracknell.
Georgie Hassan says she lost her previous home in 2024 when she was in hospital and her husband changed the locks. In a crisis, she was offered a flat in Mount Pleasant but her daughter, who has autism and learning difficulties, didn’t feel safe.
Mrs Hassan said: "I was told that it was unsafe because of the drug problem there, and a public footpath was running past the flat.
"Having gone through domestic abuse I wanted somewhere safe to stay.
"[Name withheld] at southern housing said he would not stay there.
"Structurally there were other issues, mould on the ceiling and windows, the kitchen didn’t have an extractor fan nor a window.
"The smell of smoke was unreal. He said all of this in front of my two children they didn’t feel safe and wanted to go back and wait in the car.
"My eldest daughter is 20 but has autism. There is no way I would have been able to leave her in the property on her own."
Mrs Hassan says an accompanying Southern Housing representative agreed the housing was unsafe and allegedly told her: "I’m going to reject it on your behalf." She added: "Of course I was petrified."
Her daughter reportedly said: "Mum, I don’t feel safe. I want to go and sit in the car."
After review, Bracknell Forest Council has not offered further help. The council allegedly told her: "We are satisfied that you remain homeless, but we owe you no duty of care."
Mrs Hassan said: "If I were a dog, and the owner had locked the dog out of the property, which my husband did to me, the UK would be in an uproar. Unfortunately I’m not a dog. I’m just a Mum trying to get my children back."
Southern Housing, which manages nearly 80,000 homes and 167,000 residents, denied its colleague said the property was unsafe and said: "While prospective residents are entitled to decline an offered home for any reason, no such comment was made by our staff member.
"All our homes at Mount Pleasant meet the required safety standards and housing allocations are the responsibility of the local authority."
Southern Housing accommodation in Bracknell has recently been criticised by residents over broken heating, mould, damp, mouldy washing machines and rising electricity bills.
Bracknell Forest Council representative Grainne Siggins said: "While we cannot comment on individual cases, if a tenant raises concerns about their accommodation, we will advise them of the processes they can follow to engage with the relevant housing association.
"The landlord or housing association has responsibility for maintaining their properties and keeping them to a satisfactory standard.
"The council would only take further action if the landlord or housing association refused to remedy any issues raised.
"We know that at Mount Pleasant, Southern Housing is currently working closely with residents to fix a number of minor repair issues."
Ted O'Neill, Local Democracy Reporter
