‘A fresh start I needed’: mum talks about her journey from the brink of homelessness to finding a stable home

A 29 year old mum-of-two from Dorset who was facing homelessness shares her experience of relationship breakdowns with her partner and subsequently her landlord and her journey to finding the right family home.

Teila is one of 785 households Dorset Council prevented from becoming homeless in 2025.

She moved into the privately rented property in early 2022 with her then partner, before things took a turn for the worse, including living with a broken boiler for six months.

Eventually, she was presented with a Section 8 notice to pay outstanding rent arrears and a Section 21 eviction notice.

Teila approached Citizens Advice for help and was then referred to Dorset Council’s Housing service.

That’s where Housing officers Teresa* and Mel stepped in and supported Teila for the next six months, to get things back on track.

Teresa* and Mel:

• checked the tenancy contract was legal and made sure things such as the gas safety certificate and EPC were up to date
• helped her to address her rent arrears, as it was deemed that the circumstances which led to Teila falling behind with the rent were out of her control
• negotiated with the landlord’s solicitors to reduce the amount owed
• negotiated with the landlord’s solicitors and prevented a Section 8 notice being pursued at court, which would have had negative connotations for future housing prospects
• sourced a grant from the Housing Support Fund to supply her with supermarket vouchers so she could buy white goods
• helped Teila with budgeting for household repayments and day-to-day expenses
• advocated for Teila in court
• helped with registration for the Housing Register and applying for properties.

Data from Dorset Council shows that in 2025 the top three reasons for people facing homelessness were:

1) eviction from family and friends
2) private landlord evictions
3) relationship breakdowns.

Other reasons people may face homelessness include: having no appropriate accommodation to return to after being discharged from hospital or prison, domestic abuse, social housing and supported housing evictions, change in health circumstances and mortgage repossessions.

This research has helped develop our homeless prevention campaign - the Housing Advice Line – which encourages residents to contact us as soon as possible if they are worried about losing their home.

Teila was typical in experiencing some of these issues.

Teresa* said: “When we first met Teila, she was struggling with her situation, owing money to various utility companies and rent to her landlord. This is common for many residents who have gone through a tough time.

“However, Teila was a dream to work with: she fully engaged with us, listened to us and provided everything we asked for so we could help her find a suitable home for her and her family.”

Teila was successful in bidding for a property and moved away from her previous rental accommodation, but not too far away from her support network – which was welcomed.

Teila said: “I’d never been in a position like that before, where my relationship and homelife were all up in the air.

“As a newly single mum, I didn’t know what to do.

“Once I started working with Teresa and Mel, things started to improve and I felt in control again.

“They listened to me and kept reassuring me everything would be ok. Mel helped me with budgeting and affordability and she even looked for accommodation in the private rental sector. They went above and beyond what they had to do.

“It's been a long journey, but it ended quickly and with an outcome we all wanted.

“It was the fresh start I needed and I can’t thank them enough.”

Teila has immersed herself into the local community and is positive about the future.

Mel added: “We listened to her. We didn’t judge her. And we couldn’t have wished for a better outcome for her.”

Cabinet Member for Housing and Community Safety, Cllr Gill Taylor concluded: “It is lovely to hear Teila’s story and how she has overcome adversity in her life, with the help and support of our dedicated housing officers.

“I would encourage anyone with concerns about staying in their home to give our dedicated Housing Advice helpline a call on 01305 221000, which is open 24 hours a day for emergencies and between 830am and 5pm Monday to Friday for non-emergency queries.”

Read about our housing advice.

*Teresa is a pseudonym for our Housing case worker, who wishes to remain anonymous