A 55-YEAR-OLD Cardiff woman has been left with no other choice but to live like a student after prices in the city forced her out of the rental market.
Jennifer Lewis, a grandmother-of-two, has been living in a house of multiple occupancy (HMO) in Cathays for the last eight years after rental prices in the Welsh capital have reached, what she says are, “unachievable” levels.
Jennifer works full time in a supermarket, yet despite this she can only afford to live in a shared house in Cathays with four other people, a part of the city known for its high level of students living in HMOs.
She told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS): “The prices have just gone up, especially in the housing market and with that increasing cost, [it] is unachievable for myself as a sole earner.”
She continued: “I do believe that [house prices] have levelled up reasonably. There’s low-end and high-end, but that increase has been right across the board and with it, it’s unachievable for myself and lots of other people.”
Jennifer called being able to be in a shared house “a blessing” for her as she otherwise “can’t think of the other alternative”.
However, she did say that living in a HMO “brings a certain level of fear” and that she doesn’t know “what to expect from each tenant and what could happen at any time”.
She added that this creates “quite a high level of alertness, which isn’t good for your health overall”.
Jennifer suffers from arthritis, which she and her doctors say is exacerbated by her housing conditions.
She said: “I have pain every day, although I just think of how I can help myself with stretching and trying to keep my stress levels low.
“That’s where it’s very difficult in a shared house, because you’re always on a high alert to protect yourself – it’s a form of self protection.”
In addition to working full time, she also has child caring responsibilities for her grandchildren who live with her daughter in north Cardiff.
In regard to this, working and the shared house, she said: “Every angle is exhausting. Cooking is exhausting because I’m having to keep everything in my room wrapped up because of rummaging in cupboards in the kitchen, trying to do washing in the short space of time I have isn’t always possible.
“Drying isn’t always possible because of my time limits – it’s all exhausting.”
Jennifer said she has been on Cardiff Council’s housing waiting list for three years, but she believes that she should be classed as a higher priority to move.
She added: “I understand the council has got procedures in place, but I am saying now, eight years in shared housing, I am a priority.”
Jennifer continued that the council should build more housing in the city and that it should be allocated more fairly “rather than putting people into strict pigeon holes, whether it’s for medical reasons or other.”
She continued: “I don’t feel that the council are looking at people’s cases more personally, because I keep pushing the health, social and safety issues in shared housing and I don’t feel the council are listening and looking at that fully.
“I am claiming a pension, I’m paying my taxes, I am child-caring and at what point do they think it’s acceptable to class a 55-year-old female living in a shared house a low priority”
A spokesperson for the council told the LDRS: “Cardiff is experiencing unprecedented demand for social housing, with the number of households seeking a home far exceeding the number of properties available.
“There are currently around 9,700 households on the housing waiting list in Cardiff, highlighting the significant pressure on the city’s housing system.
“Applications for housing are assessed in accordance with Cardiff’s Housing Allocations Policy, ensuring that each applicant’s individual needs, circumstances and vulnerabilities are carefully considered when determining housing priority.
“This can include factors such as homelessness, medical or welfare needs, and whether a person’s current accommodation is having a significant impact on their health or wellbeing.”
They continued: “Ms Lewis joined the housing waiting list in 2023 and was awarded a medium housing need priority. Her application has been reviewed on a number of occasions and her assessment remains unchanged.
“Priority for social housing is not awarded on the basis of age alone, although some housing schemes are designated for specific age groups.
“While housing preferences do not affect an applicant’s priority, they can significantly affect waiting times. We will be contacting Ms Lewis to discuss her housing options and provide advice on widening her choices, which may increase her opportunities for rehousing.
“We recognise the challenges many people face in finding affordable housing and are working to increase the supply of social homes across Cardiff as quickly and responsibly as possible.
“This includes building new council homes including new developments designed for older people, delivering major regeneration schemes, purchasing additional properties and working with housing association partners to provide more affordable homes for local residents.”
