Eviction of Mrs Appleton (collector of dolls and memrabelia) and her three sons

Sadly the story of the son's who all have hoarding disorder and other mental illnesses continues.

for an update see this petition:

you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/weaver-vale-housing-trust-let-may-appleton-s-sons-buy

this also has the suggested letter to send to Weaver Vale housing.
Wayne Gales

Weaver Vale Housing Trust Head Office

Gadbrook Point Rudheath Way Northwich CW9 7LL

22ND JUNE 2016

REF: APPLETON SONS - LOSTOCK GRALAM


Dear Mr Gales,

You have a tragic family living in one of your tenancies who lost their elderly mother after an eviction for 'unsocial behaviour'. They are vulnerable because they all have psychiatric disorders outlined to you by a psychologist. Yet, you have obtained a 'possession' order on them and they have nowhere to go. Your statement to the media stated that you are trying to help the family with alternative accommodation, yet the sons have not heard from you except to say they have to be gone by 20th July.


I don't believe this is the way a charitable housing trust should behave. You have a duty of care. Their mother tried to buy the house and you prevented this. They have requested to buy the house now at full market value. This seems to be an answer to the problem as they will not find anywhere to rent with a history of hoarding.


I am writing to request that you allow the sons to buy the only home they have known and provide a positive outcome to this situation.


Yours sincerely

Good point Emily, an obsession with the royals is sccepted but not with dolls

Tonight on Channel 5 news the Queen's superfan Margaret Tyler was on TV showing the presenter her house crammed full of memorabilia of the Queen.

An earlier broadcast on the BBC by this lady says:

A royal family super-fan says she is very excited that Queen Elizabeth II is to become Britain's longest-serving monarch on 9 September.
Margaret Tyler, who has used her house to create a shrine to Britain's Royal Family, explained why she thinks that the Queen has been such a good monarch.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-34123242

It seems incredible that a house devoted to memorabilia of the Queen is called a shrine yet Mrs. Appleton who loved her dolls was called a hoarder.

I do hope that in future there will be a more compassionate under standing by authorities of people who collect personally meaningful possessions in unusually large numbers.

It seems that now her 3 sons may be made homeless. See Susie English's post below.

To: WEAVER VALE HOUSING TRUST
WEAVER VALE HOUSING TRUST - Let May Appleton's sons BUY!
SEContact Campaign Creator
Campaign created by
Susie English
Allow May Appleton's sons to buy her home.

Why is this important?

Weaver Vale Housing Trust forcibly evicted 87 year old May Appleton from her home. We believe the shock killed her. She died in the temporary accommodation she was made to stay in. Before she died, she had been trying exercise her right to buy their house. Weaver Vale don't want to sell because the house would go to these tenants of 60+ years at a cheap price. Weaver Vale have used tenant hoarding as an excuse to victimise them and throw them out. They are going to court for an eviction order THIS FRIDAY! 23rd September 2016

May's sons suffer from varying degrees of mental and nervous illnesses. Two are retired and one is long term sick and under psychiatric outpatient care. They have suffered severely since their mother died and are now threatened with losing their home. Their mother has made provision for them to buy the house at the rate quoted to her years ago. Weaver Vale' a housing trust'!, would prefer to put them on the streets.

Please see May's petition before she died below:
you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/give-may-appleton-back-her-home-of-61-years

It is sad, and I have watched tv programmes about hoarders who lived in absolute hovels and threw nothing out, even food, until it just became so overwhelming they couldn't cope with all the bags of rubbish and filth surrounding them.
However, I don't know if Mrs Appleton's home was like that, I think she was a collector with a lot of stuff and should have been encouraged to donate a lot of it to a museum.

Anyway, poor old lady has died after a fall and refusing hospitalisation as Bluebelle says, so it sounds as if she was very stubborn and difficult to deal with.

EmilyHarburn perhaps there are more relevant agencies you can contact who may be open to your suggestions as I don't think there is a lot many of us can do on here although I may be wrong.

Your compassion for an elderly lady is over whelmingsarah .

You ve quoted ' until stressed killed her' I thought she had a fall and refused hospitalisation ? Have I remembered that wrongly

Oh please stop wailing and whining everyone - this woman would have been given plenty of prior notice of eviction - Bailiffs etc turn up using these tactics when the person has ignored the situation.
How you would you feel if you rented out your property to someone who trashed it and left you in debt and having to foot repair bills.
Thank God for Bailiffs and direct action or everyone would be doing exactly what they like to who and where they like.

I understand this has had a big impact on you Emily but afraid I'm with Daphnebroon on this.
Not sure GN is the right place to harangue people about changes needed to social care etc.

I was born in the war so we made use of everything. Coupled with the extraordinary post war boom in the purchase of possessions it has become very hard for some people to dispose of items. When this is combined with aging and the way items become the trigger for memories that confirm the person's identity, it becomes a complex problem to balance the requirements of modern life against the personal needs of the client.

The advantage of this thread is that it can be read by anyone so I have tried to pull in as many sources of information as possible. I do not wish Mrs. Appleton's death to be in vain. I would hope it would inform practice so that practice improves.

It is very sad that the social Care Institute for Excellence SCIE guidance hasn't been updated since April 2014

www.scie.org.uk/publications/guides/guide53/frontline-housing/self-neglect/examples-from-practice.asp

Tenants who self-neglect: Examples from practice
Guidance for frontline housing staff and contractors

Bournville Village Trust is developing relationships with its local mental health trust at a senior and local level to improve responses to local citizens, both tenants and freeholders, who are self-neglecting and are potentially in need of safeguarding. The aim of this exercise is to be able to talk through individual cases where a housing officer is concerned, to see what proactive intervention or support might be available for the individual.
Hull City Council provides safeguarding training to housing providers. This covers the Mental Capacity Act, the person’s ability to take on and retain a tenancy, positive risk-taking, some of the challenges related to risky lifestyles and hoarding, and lessons learned from serious case reviews.
Thurrock Council has commissioned specialist training on hoarding and the Mental Capacity Act from a housing perspective.
Circle Housing, Merton Priory, held an event on hoarding with local partners. Speakers included support groups and a leading academic in the field. The aim was to build a shared understanding of hoarding between all agencies and recognition of hoarding disorder, including balancing the related safeguarding, fire and tenancy risks. Agencies would work together more closely to find solutions to support residents to sustain their tenancies. This work provided a platform to develop a more detailed multi-agency hoarding protocol, including a toolkit for practitioners. Complex hoarding cases will now automatically trigger a safeguarding alert.
SHARE: Part of: Adult safeguarding for housing staff
Last updated: April 2014

Fortunately there is some more recent and helpful advice for support workers and practitioners
Summary
The research on which this briefing is based set out to identify what could be learnt from
policies and practices that have produced positive outcomes in self-neglect, from the
perspectives of key groups of stakeholders – practitioners and managers in adult social
care and in safeguarding, and people who use services.
Self-neglect practice was found to be more successful where practitioners:
 took time to build rapport and a relationship of trust, through persistence,
patience and continuity of involvement
 tried to ‘find’ the whole person and to understand the meaning of their selfneglect
in the context of their life history, rather than just the particular need
that might fit into an organisation’s specific role
 worked at the individual’s pace, but were able to spot moments of motivation
that could facilitate change, even if the steps towards it were small
 ensured that they understood the nature of the individual’s mental capacity in
respect of self-care decisions
 were honest, open and transparent about risks and options
 had an in-depth understanding of legal mandates providing options for
intervention
 made use of creative and flexible interventions, including family members and
community resources where appropriate
 engaged in effective multi-agency working to ensure inter-disciplinary and
specialist perspectives, and coordination of work towards shared goals

www.scie.org.uk/search?sq=Self-neglect+policy+and+practice%3A

No need for the heavy sarcasm * EmilyH*. I appreciate you have become very involved and passionate about this, but I for one don't share your single mindedness.
If the sons have mental health issues it is not unreasonable to expect that Social Services will have them in their books and accommodation will be found if they need sheltered housing. If not, surely the benefits they are on will provide a roof over their heads?
I don't wish to sound mean, but I am not moved to your lengths of compassion and need for action.

YOU CARING COMPASSIONATE CROWD FUNDING

The Story
Weaver Vale Housing Trust forcibly evicted an 87 year old woman on the grounds that she hoards. They have no right to tell people how to live in their own homes. She earned the right to buy this property after living there for 61 years and NEVER missing a day's rent. Nevertheless, once May asked to buy her home, Weaver Vale started to pester her because all the family collect things and the house was cluttered.

May was eventually FORCIBLY evicted and placed in a Travelodge with her three sons until the stress killed her. Her sons have a variety of mental health needs and are suffering significant signs of stress. They were allowed back into their home after a judge had demanded May be given back her rent book just before she died. They were starting to clear the home and get over the death of their mother when an eviction order was served on them.

Nothing has been sorted yet concerning still purchasing the house as all their inheritance has not been released yet and a solicitor is still fighting their case. The solicitor has quoted £3000 for her services. More details at the original petition site here....

you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/give-may-appleton-back-her-home-of-61-years

Anniebach saying she was not hurting anybody may not be accurate we didn't live near the poor old girl but as well as fire risks which can harm others there may well have been rats and mice . Some of these hoarders hoard in their bathrooms and cannot use toilets and go in bags etc which will attract flies and all sorts of other insects so yes it may be very unpleasant and harmful to those living nearby
Councils take months sometimes years to get to the state of breaking in, the family would have had no end of letters and calls and breaking in would have been a very last resort

It's very sad that the old lady died but sons and other family members should have cooperated more if they couldn't personally talk her round to a clean up and sort out, their help and cooperation with psychiatrists or community mental health nurses would have Been a good way forward and these would have been offered

The fact that she refused to go to hospital after falling in the travel lodge shows how difficult and probably stubborn she was otherwise she would have gone for a check up and perhaps saved her life it could well have been this fall and her refusal for medical help that killed her as she seemed to die very soon after the fall

Some people can't be helped and sad as it is it isn't always 'everyone's' else's fault

Do these men have learning or behavioural,difficulties? I fail to understand why the house was in the state it seems to have been in and while I am of course sorry for the old lady, also fail to understand why 3 adult men should necessarily expect to have the right to continue living in social accommodation. Am I missing something?

This person offered £500 to help see link

butlincat.wordpress.com/2016/03/26/outrageous-may-appleton-87-evicted-from-lostock-home-by-weaver-vale-housing-trust-26-march-16/

Hopefully some of you will be kind enough to sign the petition mentioned below. This is the 38 Degrees request received today from Susie English

URGENT UPDATE - PLEASE READ - WE NEED YOUR HELP!

If there are ANY solicitors out there PLEASE contact me. There has been a terrible update to this story. As you know, May lived in the property for 61 years. Her sons were born and brought up there. When May asked to buy the property, her hoarding suddenly became a problem to WEAVER VALE housing and within a short time, she was evicted. I believe the stress KILLED her. She was worrying about her home and her three sons who are vulnerable. After the funeral, Weaver Vale dumped all of the stuff that had been in storage back in the house. I saw it. It was scattered everywhere. The sons were upset to see May's broken dolls just strewn around. NONE OF THE WORK THEY PROMISED TO DO HAD BEEN DONE!

Worse to come. The sons have started to sort through the stuff and even sell some. They are making good progress. Then, today, someone came to 'talk about the tenancy and where they would go from here'. However, when they got there, it was really to serve eviction orders!

They are to be thrown out on 22nd August! PLEASE, if there are any solicitors/lawyers/media out there could you contact me. May's sons need help now and urgently!

Sue

[email protected]


Dear Friends,

Thank you for signing the petition Give May Appleton back her home of 61 years!, can you help spread the word by forwarding the link below to your friends?

you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/give-may-appleton-back-her-home-of-61-years

Thanks

Susie English

Susie English started this campaign on the 38 Degrees Campaigns by You website. If there's an issue close to your heart that you'd like to campaign on, you can start your campaign here.

Thank you for the update.

I think a trained psychologist could have helped here, but I expect that funding would have been a problem.

It is still sad; it may have been a HA house and they may have had her safety as a priority, but it was still her home.

Now that Mrs Appleton has died Weaver Vale Housing Association seems to have removed, from the internet, the pdf file giving their case outline. This is what they advised they did prior to evicting her.

Mrs Appleton & Family
This case been worked on for just under three years. This synopsis represents some of the detail relating to the case as we are not able to issue full details due to data protection and confidentiality.
• In total 4 fire safety checks have taken place by Cheshire Fire
• All WVHT tenant services and improvement e.g. electrical check and upgrade, new kitchen and bathroom have been refused
• Full range of support and care been offered on several occasions including:-
- Help finding legal advice
- Being offered transport to and from medical appointments for assistance
- Action plans to start to remove some of possessions to ensure property has clear escape routes
• WVHT will continue to work with Mrs Appleton to reach a solution that ensures the safety of her, her family and the property.
• WVHT main concern is the safety of customers, neighbours and properties.
• Gas safety certificate up to date
• Electrical safety check – 23rd Oct latest attempt not allowed in
• November 2012,
o Following a complaint about a hedge WVHT visited the property and concerns about the level of possessions and fire risk were noted.
o Many requests in person and in writing were made to gain access to the property but were refused. As part of the tenancy agreement WVHT must be granted access with five days notice.
• January 2014
o Our 1st visit went ahead and tenancy officer explained why state of house was a fire risk - escape route blocked, flammable material, firefighter risk. A Letter sent to confirm actions and advice from meeting. No action was taken by Mrs Appleton to clear property. Injunction proceedings issued but kept on hold while Mrs Appleton directed to seek legal advice from CAB and medical help.
o Four Cheshire Fire safety inspections have been carried out and advice discussed and issued to clear passageways and staircase and exits.
o The house has been slightly clearer around back door access but is still not to an acceptable standard.
o Nothing has been removed, only moved around the property. We then progressed possession proceedings injunction to enforce tenancy agreement

There is professional advice, skills and services which are staffed by people who can be successful in supporting people like Mrs Appleton to make a few necessary changes. It appears that these were not commissioned in this case. I hope that in future Housing Associations and Social Services Managers will employ these skilled people to resolve the matter with the client. It is well known in the research literature that moving an elderly person from their home may result in their dying earlier that would otherwise be the case, as it apperars has very sadly happened here.

I am not sure that pictures of the inside of the house show that it was an environmental health hazard; the 'collectables' all look in neat and tidy order even if there was too much for most people's taste.
I think the issue was that it could have been a fire hazard, and it is sad that her sons could not persuade her to donate much of the stuff to a museum or even just store it in a lock-up somewhere else.

Unfortunately I don't think Environmental Health at the council wouldn't agree!

It was her home, she wasn't running a brothel , she wasn't hurting anyone,

I agree gononsuch could have put it more tactfully but it would, indeed, have been pretty awful for the lady's neighbours. What were the sons thinking of?! Did they have no responsibility?

Your compassion is only outweighed by lack of humanity Gononsuch

An unnecessary comment and I'm sure she would have been equally glad not to have you as a neighbour .

I'm afraid that if my house was next door to hers, she would have moved a long time before that. When you look at the facts death was the only way out. Did they hold a garage sale or what.

At last the NHS has recognised that treatment is needed. Sadly too late for Mrs. Appleton who faced a series of ultimatums that she and her sons were not able to fulfill with the result that she has now died probably prematurely.

www.nhs.uk/Conditions/hoarding/Pages/Introduction.aspx