Salford and Manchester are in the top three areas at risk of eviction and repossession in the North West, according to the housing charity, Shelter.
Based on data recorded by the Ministry of Justice, last year almost 30,000 homes were at risk of eviction or repossession, equating to 81 per day.
With a possession claim often resulting in the loss of a home, last year Salford saw one in 46 rented and mortgaged households face possession claims.
Adam Terry, public affairs manager for Shelter, said: “Imagine being a child and watching the place you call home being torn away from you.
“Or being a parent and not knowing what it is that you’re going to tell your children about the fact that you’re about to lose the family home.”
The Manchester statistic is equally shocking, with its possession claim rate on rented and mortgaged households averaging one in 51, with Oldham one 57 and Rochdale is one in 60.
Campbell Robb, Chief Executive of Shelter, said: “Tragically we are seeing more and more people coming to us for help, people who have been struggling to make ends meet and then just one change of circumstances has pushed them spiralling towards homelessness.”
The charity has warned that more and more North West families are unable to cope with the pressure of rocketing housing costs.
They cited job loss or illness as common issues which can cause a family to have to leave their home.
This is having tragic results, as Shelter has seen the number of callers struggling with overdue rents almost double since 2011.
Cambell Robb said: “81 households at risk of losing their home every day is 81 too many.
“Each one of these will have had their lives turned upside down by this experience, as they faced seeing their home, the foundation of their life, ripped away from underneath them.”
“Sadly our advisors at Shelter hear from people like that every single day, and we’re hearing from more and more of them,” Mr Terry said.
Mr Robb added: “We urgently need people’s support so we can help more people in the North West avoid the nightmare of losing their home.”
For more advice on repossession and eviction, or advice about how to donate, click here.
Image courtesy of Steven Depolo, with thanks.
