Sheffield houses: Elderly couple desperately bidding on properties as second eviction date looms

An elderly Sheffield couple are desperately looking for a new home as the days count down to their eviction.

Ruth, aged 68, and Philip Atkin, 72, are frantically bidding on council properties ahead of a second deadline from CHL Mortgages.

They were due to be evicted from their home of 36 years on Kirton Road, Burngreave, on Thursday, January 11. But after their plight appeared in The Star, the finance firm said they could stay another month.

Ruth said since then they had missed out on several properties.

She added: "We put in loads of bids last week without success. They are determined to take the house. Everyone I’ve spoken to says we have to accept that by hook or by crook they will get us out.

"But we haven’t started packing, we’ve got to have something to aim for, we can’t sleep in the car."

The couple originally took out a £76,000 mortgage in 2006 with a different mortgage company. Seven years later they agreed a deal to pay £40 a week, they say.

The mortgage transferred to CHL in 2019. Last year, the firm said it wanted full payment or the property back, Ruth said.

At the time they owed £82,000 and £4,400 in fees. It is £90,000 today, including fees.

The property is worth £60,000 and they have no equity in it, she added.

Ruth said despite CHL saying they could stay for a month after the eviction date they had not received any new correspondence from the firm or the court. They had to have at least four weeks notice, she said.

The couple had been hampered in their search for a new home after turning down three properties and losing their 'priority' status. But one was on the seventh floor of a block and was not safe for Philip who has mobility problems, Ruth said.

CHL Mortgages was contacted for comment.

Last month the firm wrote to son Paul Atkin stating: "We can advise that we wrote to Mr and Mrs Atkin on 8 January to confirm we have stayed the eviction for a further month. 

"This means that the eviction schedule for 11 January 2024 has been postponed to allow them time to seek advice on their options, for which we will pay up to £500 for any associated costs."