Couple in 'nightmare' search for new Horsham home fear they will end up living in their car

Hayley Cavallo and her husband Franco – and their pet chihuahua Miss Pickle – have been living in a rented flat in Southwater for the past three and a half years but now their landlords want to sell the property.

The couple have been given until the end of January to move out and have launched a desperate search for alternative accommodation, but have not been able to find anything.

"We are being faced with living in the car as nobody wants to know,” said Hayley, 57, who has a number of health problems. "It’s an absolute nightmare.”

She said their landlords are “absolutely lovely people. They have been so kind but they need to sell the flat.”

She said she and her husband, who was born in Horsham, had approached Horsham District Council for help but had been told they were ‘not a priority’ even with Hayley’s health issues.

The couple, who have been paying £650 a month in rent, say they have now discovered rents for tiny flats in the Horsham area “are starting at about £900 and going up to over a £1,000 a month.

“With what my husband earns as a Tesco delivery driver we can't even get to look at anywhere as we are being blocked by estate agents who say we have to earn 30 times the rent a year to stand any chance of a place,” said Hayley, who has lived in the Horsham area for many years.

She said that estate agents also required credit checks and they feared that they, like many others, would not pass because both she and her husband had previously been left with debts after the breakdown of their former marriages.

"But we pay our rent and all our bills every month without fail,” said Hayley. “Past mistake do not mean people won't pay rent but nobody will even put us on the list for viewings.”

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She said they faced further problems because ‘huge deposists and holding fees’ were required by estate agents.

She said moving away from the area was not an option for them because of family.

"What are people supposed to do? There needs to be more affordable housing available but the whole issue seems to be ignored by many. This is not just about us, there must be lots of other people in this same position.”

She said she had approached Horsham MP Jeremy Quin for help but had been told that he does not deal with housing issues.

A spokesperson for Horsham District Council said: “We continue to work with the couple on an ongoing basis to assist with a range of housing options under current homelessness legislation which include: assisting the household to search for suitable accommodation, assessing their financial situation to see if they have affordability to privately rent and if so, assisting with a tenancy deposit loan.

“In order to avoid homelessness we put personalised housing plans in place which have reasonable steps included to assist the household to prevent or relieve their homeless situation.”