A 71-year-old grieving mum is set to be evicted from her home of more than 50 years after planning permission was granted to convert it into a children’s home. Marie Hargreaves, of Dowry Street, Fitton Hill, Oldham, has received a court approved eviction notice instigated by her landlord telling her she will be evicted from the house on Thursday, January 16.
Marie, who suffers from anxiety, depression and post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has lived in the house for 52 years, but sold the property four years ago. She continued to reside in the house as a tenant, an arrangement landlord Jade Sherlock claims was for a temporary period.
But Marie’s right to continue to live there has now been successfully challenged with Manchester County Court issuing an eviction notice for Thursday (January 16). Last September, Ms Sherlock, applied to Oldham council for a change of use for the property from a private dwelling to a residential children’s home to accommodate up to two children and two carers.
Those plans were approved. Ms Sherlock said she has ‘the utmost empathy for Marie’, but said the court had reviewed the case thoroughly and upheld her right to regain possession of her property.
Gary Leese, 61, is Mrs Hargreaves’ carer and is assisting her with her affairs. He said: “Marie does not have the capacity to deal with things in her daily life.
“To be told she has to leave her beloved home has devastated her. It’s the only home Marie’s ever known.
“She is very confused about the situation and she doesn’t have anywhere else to go.” Mrs Hargreaves was left devastated in July 2022 after her son Lee Carter, 48, was found dead in a Stockport car park after a seven-day search.
Marie’s home is on Dowry Street, Fitton Hill, Oldham
Mr Leese is hoping to get a court hearing at Manchester Civil Justice Centre to stop or postpone the eviction. He said he had four medical reports completed by psychiatrists who confirmed that Mrs Hargreaves does not have the mental health capacity to deal with things in her daily life.
Mr Leese said he and Marie had been in contact with Oldham council about emergency temporary accommodation should she be made homeless and they had been told that there was no guarantee that such accommodation would be in the borough of Oldham.
Ms Jade Sherlock said: “I followed every step of the legal process carefully and in full compliance with the law. The possession order was granted after I served the proper notice under Section 21 of the Housing Act 1988.
“The courts reviewed the case thoroughly and upheld my right to regain possession of my property at every stage, rejecting the tenant’s repeated attempts to challenge the proceedings. This has been a long and difficult process for me.
“I incurred substantial legal fees. I remained committed to acting within the law at every point.
“Despite everything I have endured throughout this process, I continue to have the utmost empathy for Marie. I am aware of her difficult childhood, her mental anguish, and the devastating loss of her son. I cannot fully comprehend the pain she has endured.”