Citizens Advice Sutton

Carshalton & Wallington Branch

68 Parkgate Road, Wallington, SM6 0AH
Tel: 0208 405 3552
Website: www.citizensadvicesutton.org.uk

FAO:
Sutton Housing Partnership
1 Carshalton Road
Sutton
SM1 4LE

DF/NM/

09th January 2018

Dear Ms Williams,

RE: Miss Prudence McMillan

We are advising and assisting the above named person with regards to her housing matter.
We enclose our client’s letter of authority and request that you address all responses to us.

Ms McMillan has severe mobility issues which make life in her current accommodation very
difficult, she has arthritis, obesity brought about by other health problems she has told us that
she feels like a prisoner in her home as she barely leaves the property because of the difficulty
she has getting back in when she does due to the lack of a lift and Ms McMillan’s inability to
climb the stairs unaided, when she has attempted to climb them alone, she has fallen on
numerous occasions, which is particularly dangerous, given that the stairs are made of
concrete. She has a daughter who can help from time to time but doesn’t like to ask as she her
has her own responsibilities, and Ms McMillan says it is very difficult for her daughter to
support her weight in order to help her up the stairs in any case.

We understand -that you have told our client that you are unable to support her request of a
transfer into a more suitable property because of the Criminal Behaviour Order that she was
served with, however it should be noted that this order was, in the main, issued as a result of
noise nuisance caused when she was in an abusive relationship with her ex partner, Emmanuel
Sibanda, who has since had a non molestation order issued against him, as a result of the
abuse he subjected Ms McMillan to. Now Mr Sibanda has been prevented from returning to
the property there are no longer any problems with excessive noise.

Our client has made significant changes to her life since this time and we feel that given the
severity of her mobility issues, making her wait for the entire period of 16 months remaining
on the order, before looking at granting her a transfer seems unduly harsh. Particularly as
remaining the property is also causing Ms McMillan financial difficulty: she is under-
occupying and so is subject to the Bedroom Tax, meaning she has find an extra £120 a month
to pay on a very low income. This would no longer be a problem if she were moved to a
smaller property, such a move would also make the property she resides in available to a
family.
Charity Registration Number: 1061654/0
Company Limited by Guarantee
Registration Number: 3179963 (England)
Registered Office: 68 Parkgate Road, Wallington, Surrey, SM6 0AH
Authorised & Regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority
Bureau Authorisation Number: 617761
In light of all the aforementioned issues we ask that you look again at your decision not to
support Ms McMillan’s request for a transfer at this present time.

Yours Sincerely,