A FAMILY that faced eviction on Christmas Day after a cancer diagnosis left them unable to pay their rent have won a last-minute reprieve.

Jacqui Gill and her partner, Dave Allen, live in Blaenau Ffestiniog with their 12-year-old daughter.

They rent their house from a private letting agent and have lived in the property for the last eight years but, due to financial difficulties, they faced eviction on 25 December.

Last February, Jacqui’s partner was diagnosed with cancer and had to give up his full-time work due to his on-going treatment and deteriorating health.

This subsequently resulted in a substantial loss of income and it took months for the family to be awarded welfare benefits. As a result of this wait, Jacqui and her family fell into rent arrears.

It was also difficult for the family to pay their housing costs and bills during this period of waiting for benefits to be processed which sent their debt spiralling.

Last month, the family were issued a Section 21 notice (‘no fault eviction’) as a result of rent arrears, and the notice advised that the ‘tenancy will formally end on 25 December 2018’.

Jacqui contacted Shelter Cymru, the housing and homelessness charity, and a case worker challenged the Section 21 notice on legal grounds and managed to secure a roof over their heads for the Christmas period, and the offer of alternative accommodation.

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