Heartrending housing appeal from Preston hairdresser Vicky Carty who fears son Leo who has life limiting condition will be forced into care if family cannot find new home to rent

A distraught Lancashire mum who fears the son she has cared for for 21 years could end up in care is making a desperate eleventh hour appeal for rental accommodation for her family.
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Vicky Carty says they desperately need to find a three bedroomed home with a garden for herself, husband Scott and son Leo Cliffe.

Leo has a life-limiting condition, but his mum has always cared for him at home, combining it with her job as a hairdresser.

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But now they need to move because their landlord needs the house they rent in Coppull back.

Vicky Carty and son Leo, who has a life-limiting condition, hold the legal notice telling them they must moveVicky Carty and son Leo, who has a life-limiting condition, hold the legal notice telling them they must move
Vicky Carty and son Leo, who has a life-limiting condition, hold the legal notice telling them they must move
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So far they have failed to find anywhere suitable in the Chorley or Preston areas.

Legal steps have begun to force them to leave the property. Vicky said: “We’ve lived here nearly four years. The landlord needs to move back in.”

She continued: ”This is our seventh move in nine years, all down to circumstances out of my hands. Every single landlord I’ve had would give me a glowing reference...We’ve just been really unlucky.”

Vicky and Leo and step-dad Scott are in a race against the clock to find a new home to rentVicky and Leo and step-dad Scott are in a race against the clock to find a new home to rent
Vicky and Leo and step-dad Scott are in a race against the clock to find a new home to rent
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She said in some cases landlords had decided to sell the properties, in others they needed the property back for personal reasons. She stressed she and Scott have good references and good jobs – Vicky is the proprietor of Headin Out hairdressers on Longridge Road, Ribbleton and Leo’s step-dad Scott is a service engineer.

They were served a possession notice which gave them until July 16 find a new home. She said she fears further action: “I’ve also now been served a Section 8 which (means) we will get taken to court for eviction.

"We’re hoping to stay in the Chorley area because Leo goes to day care here. My parents live here and my business is in Preston. Anywhere between these two areas, but I would love to stay in the Chorley area.”

Vicky is particularly concerned how their housing crisis is affecting Leo who has a rare congenital disorder Williams Syndrome. She said: "He takes 25 tablets a day and they are basically keeping him going but his main problems are his high blood pressure, his chronic kidney disease and his cardiac problems. He has chronic heart disease as well. Even though he is still with us he does have an advanced care plan put together with Derian House (hospice). He is on palliative care. We’ve agreed no more surgeries now – he can’t take any more after 50 (lots of) surgery, enough is enough now.”

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She continued: “It’s difficult – our anxiety is awful I try to keep it cool and not let him see but obviously we’re in such a desperate situation now it’s hard not to let him see the worry we’re going through.”

She said Leo was deeply upset when he found out that one of their latest bids to get a property had failed. “He was just so upset … it’s bound to have an effect on him health wise.”

Leo featured in the Lancashire Post in 2020 when he undertook a mammoth fundraising effort for Derian House. In August 2021 he achieved his dearest ambition to walk his mum down the aisle to marry Scott at St Andrew’s, Cottam in a service officiated by her father Deacon John Cliffe.

While their plight is unique, she says it also casts a light on how difficult it is to get a rental home in 2022.

If anyone can help Vicky she is asking them to message her on her Facebook page or the Headin Out Facebook page.