A Terrible Struggle for a Terminally Ill Mother
A mother of six, Kelly Eastland, is currently facing an intense and emotional battle to evict a tenant who has turned her home into a living nightmare. Diagnosed with stage-four breast cancer, she is fighting against time to raise £60,000 for pioneering treatment in Germany. However, the situation has become increasingly complicated due to the tenant’s actions and the ongoing legal issues surrounding the property.
Eastland, 43, is dealing with the physical and emotional toll of her illness while also trying to sell her two-bedroom house in Cliftonville, Kent. The property is tied up in a long-standing court battle with her male tenant, which has prevented her from accessing the funds needed for her treatment. The tenant, who has been living in the home since 2023, is reportedly responsible for significant damage to the property, including the presence of at least 10 dogs kept in unsanitary conditions.
The mother claims that the tenant owes her over £15,000 in unpaid rent and has caused extensive damage to the house. Animal urine and faeces have reportedly soaked through the floors, leading to ceiling damage. She fears that time is running out, as her cancer has spread to her lungs, lymph nodes, and bones.
The family moved out of the home in April 2023, renting a larger property for their six children. They had rented the home to a man they met during a dog walk, under a 12-month tenancy agreement. However, when a kitchen ceiling in the basement flat collapsed, a builder discovered multiple dogs being kept upstairs—far more than the four initially declared. This led to an insurance claim being rejected, as ‘fouling by animals’ was not covered under accidental damage.
In March 2024, Eastland decided to sell the house to raise money for her treatment. They accepted a £125,000 offer, which was below the house’s valuation, in a desperate attempt to secure funds quickly. They served the tenant with a Section 8 notice, citing the property’s deteriorating condition. A possession order was granted in December 2023, allowing the tenant 14 days to move out. However, the order was later dismissed because the tenant had not provided his real name.
Another eviction notice was issued, this time citing non-payment of rent. In May, the tenant filed a counter-claim, alleging that the landlords had failed to address maintenance issues. He claimed to have spent £5,000 fixing the bathroom floor, £1,200 on a new bay window, and faced problems with a faulty boiler, leaking roof, and no heating upstairs.
An independent survey of the property revealed that it was dirty and overrun with dogs, with at least 10 animals inside. One large dog was described as aggressive, and the surveyor noted that there were too many dogs for the size of the dwelling. He also observed staining on walls and ceilings consistent with water damage from a leak and found that the boiler was operational but inaccessible due to the number of dogs.
Eastland believes that the surveyor’s findings, along with the unpaid rent, will be enough to secure another possession order at a hearing scheduled for next month. However, she is worried about the timeline, as her cancer has worsened, and her husband can no longer work full-time due to his caregiving responsibilities.
Even if a new possession order is granted, the process could take weeks before she is able to reclaim the house. After the original buyer pulled out, a company has agreed to purchase the property in its current state for £103,000—£85,000 below its valuation. With £70,000 left on their mortgage, the Eastlands say even the proceeds from the sale will not cover the £60,000 cost of treatment.
Eastland claims there are actually 18 dogs in the property, despite the surveyor only finding 10. The RSPCA gained access to the home and confirmed the presence of 18 dogs, although they could not remove them due to the availability of food, water, and shelter. The tenant and his solicitors have not yet responded to requests for comment.