'Intentionally Homeless' Family Faces Eviction by Ealing Council
Mother of three wants to be housed near her support network
Shanice Aird. Picture: Facundo Arrizabalaga/MyLondon
May 27, 2025
A mother has been told by Ealing Council she will be “intentionally homeless” because she does not want to move to a borough without any family or support network.
Shanice Aird, 31, currently lives in Feltham with her three children in a two-bedroom house. Shanice was placed in the house by Ealing Council as temporary accommodation after she witnessed the stabbing of a teenager outside her previous home.
The council moved Ms Aird and her children to the property almost four years ago despite, she claims, knowing that it was nearby to an ex-partner whom she had a restraining order against. The house itself is also riddled with mould , it has faulty electrics which she claims have caught fire, and holes in the wall which have led to mice getting inside.
The council has now offered Ms Aird a property in Harrow, however she has declined because it “tears” her away from her support network. She told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) that she has said she is happy to take a number of different locations, even some outside of London, as long as she is near her family.
She said, “I am appreciative of the offer, but they still haven’t looked at my case file, despite numerous requests… it’s like they aren’t taking my mental health seriously. I have bipolar type 2, which causes manic episodes or depressive episodes.
“I have my family on my doorstep who will come and help me or take care of my kids if needed at that point, I don’t have that in Harrow. It’s like they are trying to isolate me… they are aware of my medical state, their response was ‘get to know your new neighbours’”.
The mother-of-three told the LDRS she finds it “concerning” that the council told her if she “has an episode”, to get her new neighbours to help with her children who have additional needs.
In an email responding to her concerns about her children, the council said, “I understand your concerns about moving from Feltham to Harrow as you would rather stay in the area you are familiar with than start a whole new life again. Harrow is a nice area, and you can stay connected with friends, family by telephone or email and they can visit you. There is no reason you cannot get to know your new neighbours.”
Shanice was told by Ealing Council to hand over her keys to the current property on Wednesday (21 May), however with nowhere else to go, Ms Aird is yet to do this. Ealing Council say they will now go through the courts to evict the family.
Since the council moved her out of a secure tenancy in 2021 after she witnessed a stabbing, her family have lived in temporary accommodation. Ms Aird says the council are now giving the family an ultimatum.
She said, “It’s disgusting, actually it’s like emotional blackmail, because I’ve given them so many options of where I’d go… I was moved here for witnessing a stabbing, they placed me in the same borough as my abuser I’ve got a restraining order against, and now they’re evicting me despite so many failures on their part.”
Councils have a legal duty to help some people who are facing homelessness, but can discharge their duty if someone is deemed to be “intentionally homeless”. Refusing an offer of accommodation, whatever the reason, can be deemed unreasonable, and therefore making yourself intentionally homeless.
Speaking to the LDRS, Ms Aird described what she feels to be a personal vendetta against her from the council for speaking to the press. She initially spoke to the LDRS in mid-April, only to see her rent doubled a week later.
Shanice Aird in her children’s bedroom. Picture: Facundo Arrizabalaga/MyLondon”
It took the LDRS approaching Ealing Council to find out why her rent was doubled. The local authority apologised for the “mistake”.
However, only a month later, Ms Aird’s rent was doubled again. Ealing Council said: “The increases that Ms Aird had seen in her last two rent payments are mistakes. We apologise for any inconvenience caused. The next payment will revert back to the former rate. There is no financial consequence to Ms Aird for this mistake as her rent is fully covered by housing benefit.”
However, Shanice says the sudden apparent hike in rent caused her stress as she did not know if her housing benefit would cover the new rate she thought she’d have to pay.
A spokesperson for Ealing Council added, “She has recently been made offers of suitable properties both in and out of the borough within easy reach of her support networks, which she has refused. Because she refused the properties, she has made herself intentionally homeless, and our legal duty to house Ms Aird and her family under the Housing Act has ceased.
“She has requested a statutory review of her case, which has been submitted to our reviews team for consideration. She will be contacted about that in due course… two medical assessments have been completed and reviewed by the department’s principal medical officer. Ms Aird has been made aware of the outcomes.
“Ms Aird is not required to hand back the keys today and has been contacted by the council to confirm she will not be evicted today. The eviction will be carried out in due course by the court bailiffs. The timeline of the eviction is reliant on the courts.
“Once the court has set a date, it will be in touch with Ms Aird with details. We have referred the family to children services at Hounslow Council, which may be legally responsible for housing the family under the Children’s Act.”
Philip James Lynch - Local Democracy Reporter