A COUPLE faces being made homeless after it took Essex County Council officials weeks to confirm an eviction order on the caretaker's house they currently live in.
Trevor Rackham, 57, has been off work since September last year suffering serious osteoarthritis of his knee that has left him immobilised and unable to work as the caretaker of Larchwood Primary School in Pilgrims Hatch.
He has been on morphine for the pain since January 23.
On Friday last week the couple had a phone call from Essex County Council to say they were facing court proceedings to evict them.
Following a series of unsuccessful operations on his knee, the first on September 21 last year, Trevor Rackham eventually had his employment terminated with Essex County Council at the end of July this year.
Trevor and Angela Rackham have been pushing the county council to confirm in writing their eviction from Caretaker's House – a property next to Larchwood Primary School that comes with the job of caretaker for the school.
Without it, Brentwood Borough Council has said it was impossible for the couple to start bidding for a council house, even though Mr Rackham is unable to work and the couple are reliant on Government benefits and his 55-year-old wife's meagre salary.
Despite several requests to Essex County Council to send through the notice to quit – knowing that he would most likely be asked to leave on September 6 – the letter confirming the eviction only dropped through the door on Monday – giving them just five days to apply to Brentwood Borough Council and be allocated a home.
Although the borough council said confirmation with an electronic copy should suffice, Mr Rackham was later told that they needed the original copy.
Essex County Council said it had completed the eviction notice on August 1, but the letter was only delivered on September 2, and was dated August 13.
Angela Rackham, who moved from Buckinghamshire with her husband 18 months ago, said: "I just think it us is unbelievable the way we have been treated –it's terrible.
"We were meant to have moved out on Saturday. But we have nowhere to move to.
"They are treating us like he lost his job on purpose.
"We have enough anguish with my husband not being able to walk or drive – never mind losing his job.
"But after that we now have to worry about not having anywhere to live."
The letter from Essex County Council said: "In the circumstances the council requires you to vacate the property on September 7.
"Until September 6 you will be required to continue to pay the monthly sum of £130.81 to the council in relation to the accommodation charge and water rates as provided under the terms of the Service Occupancy Agreement.
"The council will claim the same rate of £130.81 per month from September 7 until the date you vacate the property."
Mrs Rackman added: "Basically we do not have enough housing points or are classed as a priority because we haven't got the notice to quit – the whole thing is ridiculous.
"How can people treat us like that? We have worked hard all our lives and now we have nowhere to go."
