I was kicked out of my home after neighbour row – now I’m homeless as council only offers a home that doesn’t allow pets
A MAN has told how he is homeless because the council only offered him a flat that doesn’t allow pets after he rowed with his neighbours.
Jeff Reeves and his three beloved dogs - Saxon, JC and Roxy - were thrown out on the streets two months ago when he refused to abandon them.
Jeff's mum died around eight years ago, while his dad died 18 months ago after suffering a cardiac arrest following a battle with Covid pneumonia.
Matters went from bad to worse when his neighbours made a complaint against him - and he was asked to leave his accommodation.
Jeff, 40, said that Bromley Council had offered him a one-bedroom apartment, though one that does not accept pets.
He told MyLondon: "I feel like I'm being made to choose between being homeless and keeping my dogs.
“I've had them for eight years, I just don't want to give them away because they'll be separated...if they're okay, I'm okay."
Most read in Money
The neighbour dispute was escalated to court, which ruled that he should be moved into separate accommodation.
However, he claims to have only been offered accommodation which does not allow pets.
But he received a helping hand when he met a fellow Bromley resident, Eliza Dimitrova.
Her kids noticed Jeff's dogs and wanted to go and pet them, which Jeff welcomed happily.
Eliza, 33, told MyLondon: "It was a weekend and I was taking the kids skateboarding and then, because the children love animals, they saw some dogs and asked 'can we say hello'. So they asked the owner, who was Jeff, and he was super kind and friendly.
"Jeff has three big dogs and they were all so friendly...I just got chatting to him and he was such a lovely, pleasant character. The entire time, not once did he ever ask me for anything.
“We then went to the shop to get a big bag of dog food...he was over the moon."
She felt so inspired by Jeff that she decided to set up a GoFundMe to raise money to get him a place to stay.
How to get help if you're struggling
If you're struggling to pay your , there are ways to get help.
You can apply to your local council for financial help in paying your rent after the government announced £65million of funding for those in arrears.
And if you're on Universal Credit, you can apply for a Discretionary Housing Payment - which gives you extra money for housing costs like rent, deposits and advances if you're moving house.
You might also be able to set up an affordable repayment plan with your landlord if you're slipping behind on payments.
Over £300 has been raised for Jeff - initially, it was for accommodation but now he's moving to be with his sister in Lincolnshire, so the money is still there to help him get there and get back on his feet.
Jeff added: "Ellie has been brilliant...The support I have been given gives me inspiration and faith that there are still people out there that want to help other people.
“I will never ask or beg...feel free to buy the dogs treats but I will never ask for it."
If you have a furry friend, you might have struggled to find somewhere to rent that accepts pets.
But new laws announced last month means they cannot refuse a request for a furry friend without a good reason.
It means landlords will have to be more lenient to letting pets live in the house.
A Bromley Council spokesman said: “Becoming homeless is very distressing and we fully understand why people would wish to retain the comfort of pets at this difficult time.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
Read More on The Sun
“Whilst it is not a legal requirement to provide accommodation for pets unless a service animal, we always try to support people to remain with their pets where possible.
“In this case the Council provided short term accommodation for this gentleman and his dogs while alternatives were being sought. He subsequently withdrew his application advising that he wanted to live in another part of the country closer to family support.”