Rental crisis likely to see Clon family splitting up

THE Clonakilty family who last week went public with their urgent plea for a house, are no closer to finding a new home, and may now have to split up.
Linda Garrett made the appeal for a house in the greater Clonakilty area for herself, her four children and two dogs.
The house they had been renting for two years has been put on the market by their landlord.
They don’t bear him any ill will as he gave them 12 months notice of his intentions, as well as several extensions when the challenge to find a new home became apparent.
However, despite extensive searches and exhausting every lead, Linda said she’s now ‘given up.’
As of this Wednesday, the family were waiting to hear back from one last landlord, but were resigned to the fact that the most likely outcome is that they will have to split up and stay with friends.
Their two dogs, Baby and Toffee, will need to be rehomed and most of the family’s possessions will be put in storage.
The dogs did make the search for a house more difficult as many landlords don’t accept pets.
However, the dogs help Linda’s daughter Mollie (19) who lives with Asperger’s.
As another daughter, Cassidy, is studying for her Leaving Cert, the family want to stay in the Clonakilty area.
Linda said that in recent days Mollie had become very quiet as the possibility of having to rehome the dogs became real, and that Cassidy has been ‘crying her eyes out’.
Linda has been to Cork County Council for help, where she said she was told to find her own emergency accommodation, and then return to the local authority with the details.
However, Linda said when people heard the words ‘emergency accommodation’ they were immediately turned off and she had no success in trying to connect potential landlords with the Council.
A Council spokesperson said they don’t have emergency housing stock but ‘endeavour to liaise with private landlords to avail of properties or B+Bs which may be available.’ ‘Homeless persons are encouraged to seek private rented accommodation and avail of homeless HAP and are advised to express an interest in any suitable local authority properties which may be available on Cork County Council’s Choice Based Lettings website. If none of these options are available, then homeless persons may need to avail of emergency accommodation in private hostels, B&Bs or hotels.’

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