'Ealing Council evicted me weeks after I was stabbed - now I sleep in parks and fear another attack'

A woman sitting on a park bench with her back to the camera
Natalie now sleeps in a park in West London -Credit:Facundo Arrizabalaga/MyLondon


A woman has been left sleeping on the streets just weeks after allegedly being stabbed in the face, after Ealing Council evicted her due to rent arrears. On April 12, Ealing Council removed the remainder of Meath and Marston Court tenants with the use of court bailiffs after the shipping container estates were decommissioned.

However Natalie, who has asked not to have her full name published for her safety, was ordered to leave her flat after a long-running legal battle due to what the council described as 'substantial rent arrears'. The timing of the eviction was particularly bad for Natalie who, in January, claims she suffered a horrific facial injury from a broken bottle, which she alleges was a deliberate stabbing.

Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS), the 42-year-old says she doesn't feel safe after she was forced to leave her home of four-and-a-half years, because she claims her alleged attacker is known to spend a lot of time in the area. "I'm not safe to be on the streets as my [alleged attacker] is still around," she said.

READ MORE: West London mum facing the 'abyss' as she frantically searches for new home before eviction

A woman standing in a park with her back to the camera
Natalie said she is freezing on the streets -Credit:Facundo Arrizabalaga/MyLondon

Now sleeping in local parks, Natalie said: "It's very cold, 'cause I only have what I have on me [a light coat]. I don't have a sleeping bag 'cause they wouldn't give me extra time to get things together. It's not pleasant." Natalie was also forced to abandon two cats which the council says its officers had been feeding until requesting the RSPCA takes them in when she did not return to collect them.

She said: "[The council] sent me a message saying if I don't come and collect my cats they will be reported to the RSPCA. What can I do with two cats? I can't keep them in the park with me."

After the alleged stabbing, Natalie claims she requested to have an extension to the April 12 eviction deadline so she could prepare herself properly. She claims a member of staff at the estate had agreed to this: "I was told I would have a two-week extension because of the incident."

On the day of the eviction, she claims the member of staff reiterated she would get the extra time before suddenly retracting it. She continued: "Because of my circumstances, he said I could have the two weeks but 20 minutes later he came back and told me I had to get out in half an hour."

All of a sudden Natalie claims she had bailiffs demanding she pack up her things and leave. She says this meant she was not prepared for life on the streets. The council claims she had simply not returned to collect her things after being given 28 days to do so.

"It's not doing well on my mind, to be honest. I'm mentally exhausted," she told LDRS after sleeping rough for 10 days. "[The police] had installed a box, an alarm box, for my safety [in the shipping container flat], but now I'm not safe."

Marston Court shipping container estate pictured from the side at a high vantage point, looking down towards the makeshift buildings
The estate has been described as a 'failed' housing project -Credit:Facundo Arrizabalaga/MyLondon

Natalie has a special spot where she tucks herself away at night, spending every night praying she won't be hurt and weathering the temperamental spring conditions. "It's not exactly pleasant, especially for hygiene situations and all of that. Especially when it's raining and cold, not having shelter is really hard."

Natalie claims she didn't know about rent arrears

Natalie had ended up in Marston Court four years ago after fleeing domestic violence. She was homeless for nearly a year until charity St Mungo's helped her find a place to live.

Of her time in the shipping containers, Natalie told the LDRS: "It's not worse than being homeless but it's still pretty rough." When the LDRS spoke to Natalie she was still trying to find a refuge to stay in. She said: "They have tried to get me into a refuge but it takes time."

The council says the eviction was down to Natalie's rent arrears, but the tenant claims she had no idea despite the council claiming the eviction process had been ongoing for eight months. The council also claims she was visited a week before the eviction to remind her it was happening. Natalie claims she paid £150 a week in rent from her Universal Credit and was shocked when she was informed that she was in arrears.

"I don't know why they waited four and half years to tell me about my rental arrears; it was only when they were dismantling [the estate that I found out]."

Marston Court shipping container estate pictured from the road
Marston Court has officially been decommissioned -Credit:Facundo Arrizabalaga/MyLondon

An Ealing Council spokesperson said: "We were obliged by law to serve all the households at Meath and Marston courts with eviction notices as part of the decommissioning process. For Natalie this arrangement did not apply as prior to the decommissioning agreement in November 2023, she had been served with a notice to quit on the basis of substantial rent arrears, and this is the reason she has been evicted.

"The eviction process took place at Brentford County Court and has lasted for a period of at least eight months with the final eviction taking place on April 12 2024. At every stage, Natalie was notified by the courts of the pending dates, together with the progress of the eviction. On the day of eviction, the bailiffs advised her that the clerk of the court had informed them they had personally visited a week prior to duly inform her of the eviction date.

"She advised that she was going to her sister's and would return to collect her belongings. She was advised that her belongings could be left in the flat for no longer than 28 days. She also left two cats which have been fed and looked after by Ealing Council officers. Despite advising that she would return and collect her belongings and cats she has not done so. Because of this the RSPCA were contacted in relation to her cats.

"We would advise Natalie to approach our Housing Solutions Team who will be able to advise her regarding her housing options, and take a homelessness application to assess what (if any) statutory housing duty she may be due."

The LDRS contacted Natalie for an update after the council's response. She said she was still sleeping rough, and confirmed that she does not have a sister, but a close friend from church that she sometimes refers to as 'sister'. She has also now managed to collect one of her cats. The Met Police has confirmed a person has been charged in relation to the alleged attack on Natalie in January.

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