Demand outweighs supply of two-bedroom council homes in Chesterfield ‘with over 100 people bidding on those available’

Young mum Hollie-Mai Squries recently told the Derbyshire Times of the ‘disgusting’ and cramped conditions in her one-bedroom council flat in Kirkstone Road, Dunston, which have left her feeling worried for her children.

The 23-year-old has been advised to bid on two-bedroom properties but over a year later remains in a battle to escape and continues to call on Chesterfield Borough Council for a resolution.

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Following Hollie-Mai’s most recent plea, the authority has now shed light on a potential reason as to why she has not yet been rehoused.

Liz Cook, Chesterfield Borough Council’s service director – housing, said: “As per our home options allocation policy, we aim to allocate homes to people who need them the most, and when tenants apply for a move, we will assess their level of need and advise them of the size of properties they are eligible for.

“In line with our home options allocation policy, we can confirm that Miss Squires is eligible for a two bedroom house and have advised her to continue bidding for properties of this size.

“There is an increasing demand for council housing, particularly two bedroom houses which are in extremely high demand, with well over 100 bids on most that become available meaning that waiting times for these types of properties are unfortunately sometimes longer.”

In the mean time, Chesterfield Borough Council said it is working to resolve the issues at Hollie-Mai’s home.

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Ms Cook said: “We prioritise the health and wellbeing of our tenants and take all reports of damp and mould seriously, with our dedicated team working with tenants to try and resolve issues as quickly as we can.

“A technical officer visited the property to investigate the report and has arranged for our contractor to attend and carry out a fungicidal wash. Our team are working with Miss Squires to arrange a suitable time to access the property to complete this.

"As damp and mould is often caused by condensation in the home, the team have also advised Miss Squires on steps they can take to avoid this, which includes making sure the property is well heated and ventilated.”

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