I’m being kicked out of council home I’ve lived in for 63 years for heartbreaking reason – I don’t want to leave | The Sun

A MAN is being kicked out of his council home for a heartbreaking reason after living there for 63 years – he says he doesn't want to leave.

Gary Brookin, 63, is being forced out of his two-bed Reading home just three months after his mum died.

The house, which Gary once shared with his late mother, is owned by Reading Borough Council who now want it back.

According to the grieving son, he could face leaving the property because of the number of rooms it has.

It is also semi-detached with a decent sized garden.

Already struggling with grief, Gary said losing his life-long home will make him "give up" as it's all he has left.

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He told the Reading Chronicle: "They want me out because it’s a two bedroom.

“They want me somewhere smaller, a one bedroom.

“Obviously I don’t want to leave there because I’ve lived there all my life."

Gary was his mum's carer for 13 years and now has to take antidepressants to help cope since her passing.

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Admitting his "life has gone down hill" and he's struggling, Gary said the whole situation is making him physically sick.

He added: "I don’t want to leave, I’ve been here so long it will hurt me.

"I haven’t been eating or sleeping properly."

Unable to buy a house because of finances, Gary said he has no other option and nowhere else to go.

Claiming he is listed on the tenancy with the Department of Work and Pensions, Gary is now battling with the council to stay.

A Reading Borough Council spokesperson told The Sun, the tenancy cannot be passed on to Gary, making him lead tenant, because succession of the property has already taken place.

They said: "A council tenancy is only allowed to pass from one family member to another once, known as a succession.

"In this case a succession has already taken place within the family and therefore no further succession rights are available on this tenancy.

"Even in instances where a family member does have the right to succession on a tenancy, they would not be able to remain in a property that was too big for their needs.

"Alternative accommodation of the appropriate size would be found for them, to make the larger property available to a family in need.

"Reading Borough Council has given Mr Brookin high priority on the housing register for a move to a one-bedroom property.

"He has been advised that he has no legal right to remain in the property, in keeping with the current legislation, but we are not asking him to leave it until an alternative is found.

"With over 3,000 families waiting for accommodation in Reading, it isn’t possible to allow people with no legal right to a property to remain in one that is larger than they require.

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"The Council has a statutory responsibility to manage all the need in the borough by making best use of the homes that become available. 

"We are working with Mr Brookin to resolve this situation with him as swiftly as possible, to ensure the best use of our housing stock to benefit as many people waiting for housing as possible."

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