Hi, my name is Hazel and I have a 14 year old son. I have lived with both my parents in the same house for all 46 years of my life. My son has never known any other home. Sadly earlier this year, my lovely mum lost her brave battle against cancer. It was the hardest life experience we have ever faced as a family. We are still coming to terms with it 2 months later. During her life my mum was the sole tenant of a LONDON BOROUGH OF SUTTON council property and had been for 47 years. Before she passed away, she wrote a letter expressing her wishes that she would like me to succeed the tenancy of the home with the intention of securing a home for myself and my son. Unfortunately SUTTON COUNCIL have other ideas. Every tenant who lives in the borough who is a council tenant receives a handbook - this outlines the rules and regulations surrounding tenancy in the borough including the right of succession. In the handbook it states that any member of a tenants family has the right to apply for the tenancy providing they have lived with the tenant 12 months prior to the tenants death. On this point I qualified so I applied. SUTTON COUNCIL informed me 2 DAYS after my mother died that I would not receive the tenancy and I had NO RIGHT OF APPEAL. They went on to say that my father who is 81 years old has the automatic right of succession being the surviving spouse. He was gutted as was I. He has asked Sutton council to allow me to succeed and has told them he is prepared to waive his rights providing they pass the tenancy to me as in his mind this not only secures a home for me, but more importantly to him his grandson. SUTTON COUNCIL have ignored his request and my pleas have fallen on deaf ears. YOU CAN HELP ME raise awareness of my plight, YOU CAN HELP ME by signing my petition and maybe prick the conscience of the housing department. YOU CAN HELP not only me by signing, but other people in a similar situation to mine. TOGETHER WE CAN ALL MAKE A DIFFERENCE. Please, just take a few minutes of your time to sign. Thank you

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