Cressie and Richard Pike are peacefully at home in their new place after moving out of their previous property and being put in temporary accommodation.
The couple were forced out of their five-year home after being served a section 21 eviction notice by their previous landlord. They then moved to temporary accommodation in Wellington and were hopeful to have somewhere permanently shortly after.
But after a long wait in temporary accommodation and on the housing list, they were overjoyed to be offered a home in our new rural development in Somerton.
Our new resident, Cressie Pike, said: "The temporary accommodation was upsetting. It was a bad experience, but it has turned around for the good.
“When we were private renting, we were given a section 21 which was really awful. It’s hard enough trying to get a place anyway but private renting is so expensive, not everyone can afford to do it.
“We had to take temporary accommodation before getting this. One house came up in Taunton and I was working there in care, but I couldn’t drive so it wasn’t suitable. The lady said it wasn’t ready yet.
“She said there is a temporary home coming up in Wellington, so we had no other option we had to move there, and I had to transfer jobs."
Living there for 16 months after initially being told it would be only six weeks, the couple came across our development, Buttercross Meadow in Somerton, and pinned their hopes on moving there.
After a process of bidding and waiting to move up the housing list, they are thrilled to have settled into a one-bedroom ground floor flat which has made a big difference to their lives.
Cressie continues: “We were quite low down the list for somewhere else, even though we were in temporary accommodation, and we would move as far as Plymouth, we felt we were still not in with much of a chance. We didn’t think we would get anywhere again.
“We just kept bidding, and this came up in the end, so then we were number one and I kept checking to make sure we were and then we were offered it which was such a relief!
“I was looking for this area because it’s nearer to my family so when this came up it was perfect really. My husband’s family live in Taunton so we can just pop down and it’s on the bus route so it’s easy for him to get there too. So, we’ve found the best of both worlds really."
The development, which is a partnership with Allison Homes, has 16 homes, 12 for social rent and four for shared ownership.
Cressie added: “This area is surrounded by fields, it’s really nice and peaceful so it’s lovely and everyone is very friendly. It’s been a really good experience with LiveWest all around really.
“The bonus is we have a garden as well which was helpful because we have two dogs too. Not many places have a garden that is all fenced around which is safe for them.
“We love it, and we are so much happier here. We are more settled, and I’ve got myself a new job and that’s really nice, so it’s all worked out really well. This is somewhere we want to stay, I don’t want to move again especially with what we went through with the temporary housing.”
Cressie's partner Richard said: “When we were in our home in Taunton, we had no problems, so it was very difficult when we were told we had to move.
“We went through what felt like hell for 18 months with other accommodation, but we’ve found a golden egg at the end of the rainbow.
“With my heart condition, I’ve been awaiting on a heart operation for the last four and a half years so moving somewhere where we’re happier has made a big difference to us. But also, mentally it’s been great for me, it’s nice to open the patio doors in the morning and hear the cows.
“People are very friendly here too. It’s so much better here feeling safe and secure in our home.
“The Aftercare team at LiveWest has been great, of course there are going to be a few issues with any new build but all in all, they’ve been brilliant."
The homes have been designed an energy efficient focus, particularly due to and the development's rural setting and being surrounded by trees, greenery, and walks.
Richard said: “I think we’ve had the best deal because all the other one-bedroom homes on this development are upside down houses but ours isn’t. Having two little dogs wanting to go out in the garden, they can come and go as they please.
“The community is really friendly, I don’t see a lot of people in the morning because I walk the dogs early, but if you go into town people chat away to you and they’re polite."