COVENTRY MESSAGE BOARD

Sharky, 60, said his living situation has 'messed up my life'



A man who has been living in his car for the past seven months says he feels lost and forgotten by the council.

Sharky, a nickname he has asked to be known by for the purpose of this article, has been living in his Toyota Hilux with his dog since he returned from Mallorca to Coventry late last year.

The 60-year-old is currently on band 2C of the waiting list, meaning he is seen on the same priority level as people who are already in housing and are looking to move into different council accommodation.

He said: "It's messed my life up, I used to be fit and now I can't walk half a mile. I used to play golf, I used to walk my dog for miles but I just can't do it now.

"My back is shot from being in this car and through that winter, it messed me up.

"It was one of the worst winters in 40 years.

"I told them I can get a hotel that will take my dog but they wouldn't pay for it.

"They wouldn't give me temporary accommodation.

"I'm homeless and now I've been put on anti-depressants as it's driving me around the bend. I'm just lost."

His friend, who asked not to be named as they are employed by the council, said: "He's lived in Coventry for the majority of his life but he's been expected to live in the car since he got back.

"I've been sending emails and calling all over the place, Councillors, MPs, and just get referred back to the council's homeless line where he's just told he's not a priority."

He has been directed to accommodation, but that would mean giving up his pet dog.

His friend added: "He lives for this dog and there's no way he can just give her up.

"He's been diagnosed with depression and has other health issues - this last seven months has affected him so much and he's not the person we knew.

"The message the council are giving out, in my opinion, is that we don't want to help the homeless."

Man who lived in his car on streets of Coventry for seven months finds a home

A Coventry man who had been living in his car for seven months has finally found a home.

The man, who asked to be known by his nickname, Sharky, moved into a bungalow in Binley last Friday after spending more than seven months living in his Toyota Hilux on the streets of the city with his dog, Lulu.

He had been in discussions with Coventry City Council since January, when he moved back to his home city after spending time in Majorca.

After seven months living in his car, he was contacted by Citizen Housing, who said they had a home available for him.

The 60-year-old said: "Citizen housing got me this place, they contacted me on Friday asking if I wanted to move in and I almost snatched the keys out of their hands.

"It was nothing to do with the council.

"They brought me to the house that day and I signed all of the paper work in the kitchen and moved in later on.

"Citizen have been fantastic and I'm very impressed with what they have done for me."

Since moving in, he has spent his first week gardening and cleaning up the house.

Friends have kindly donated him a blow up bed, a microwave, a kettle and a toaster to help him get back to normality.

As a result of living in his car for so long, Sharky was deemed to be suffering from depression and had been suffering from suicidal thoughts in addition to back pain from the cramped living conditions.

He contacted councillors, MPs and the council but found that he was just getting redirected back to the council's homeless line - which told him he was not a priority.

Despite this, he was deemed to not be a priority for housing by the council.