Glasgow sisters to be evicted weeks after mother's death

Brogan Webb holding hands with her mother Angela who recently died from cancer

Two sisters were told they would be evicted from the family home three weeks after their mother died.

Brogan Webb said housing association Sanctuary Scotland told her she had no claim to the Glasgow property because she and her sister had moved into student accommodation.

The 23-year-old said the firm led them to believe they could obtain the rights before her mother's death from cancer.

Sanctuary said it had extended the notice period and provided support.

Brogan and sister Taylor, 21, first heard their mother Angela Agnew had cancer in November last year.

At the time Brogan was studying law at Glasgow City College and Taylor was a fourth year student at the University of St Andrews.

'Distressing call'

After learning that their mum had become terminally ill in December, Brogan dropped out of her course and moved back to the three-bedroom family home near Glasgow city centre to provide care.

Taylor also moved home but commuted between Glasgow and Fife to keep up her studies.

"At that point my mum kind of went into fight or flight mode," Brogan said. "She knew she had to get some stuff sorted out to make sure Taylor and I had somewhere to stay.

"She knew our intention was to move back into the house. Essentially, when we left to move to our student accommodation mum did the right thing by removing us from the tenancy."

After seeking advice from Sanctuary, the family decided Taylor would become listed as a household member again so the property was in her name.

Brogan and her sister Taylor were led to believe they could keep the family home after their mother died

But on Tuesday - which was three days after their mum's funeral - Brogan said she received a distressing call from a housing officer who said they had to move out within two weeks.

Speaking to the BBC's Drivetime with Fiona Stalker, Brogan said: "At that point I just didn't know what to say. I couldn't believe that was a conversation I was having so soon after losing my mum.

"The thought of losing her and all of her belongings and all of our household belongings in the space of a month was absolutely mind-blowing to me.

"We are willing to pay the rent, we have money, we are not destitute, we don't need to be destitute. This is a decision that was made by someone who doesn't know us, they've only read an email."

She added: "I don't feel either of us have been given the chance or the space to breathe, never mind grieve our loss. I can't actually concentrate on anything else other than making sure myself and my sister have a roof over our heads."

'Huge demand' for properties

Brogan, who works full time for a refugee charity, has since posted about her situation on social media and spoken to the press, as well as her local MSP Paul Sweeney.

Sanctuary Scotland has now extended the time she and Taylor have to move out - albeit indefinitely -and discussed alternative housing arrangements they may be able to pursue.

A spokesperson for the housing association said: "While there is a huge demand for properties in Glasgow, which means it is extremely important this home is offered to a family in need of three bedrooms as soon as possible, we appreciate Ms Webb's exceptional circumstances."

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The Housing (Scotland) Act 2001 states that a family member over the age of 16 can succeed a property if it was their "only or principal home" for 12 months before the tenant's death.

However, Sanctuary Scotland has argued this means the person has to "physically reside" in the property - a claim the Scottish government has dismissed.

The government has suggested the sisters could ask Sanctuary Scotland to review its decision or to seek legal advice.

Housing Secretary Shona Robison highlighted that there were exceptional circumstances that allowed landlords to give tenancies even if a person did not have succession rights.

She added: "No-one should be evicted into homelessness and I would expect all housing associations and local authorities to take a person-centred approach, particularly in circumstances such as these."

'Something out of a Dickens novel'

Meanwhile, MSP Paul Sweeney has called for a review of housing legislation as he believes there is a wider problem with lack of tenants' rights.

He said: "Student accommodation isn't a permanent residence. [Brogan and Taylor] should have still had a right to that house which they've lived in for years and they've been in that wider community their whole lives.

"I just find the whole situation appalling and I hope the housing association recognise there's been a gross failure of judgement here."

Megan Bishop from tenants' union Living Rent said the sisters' story was like "something out of a Dickens novel" and was a "damning indictment of the housing crisis".

She said: "At Living Rent we've seen an increased number of eviction cases that we're fighting and many of them are like this, where housing law doesn't go far enough to protect them.

"I think a loophole being exploited here by the housing association really demonstrates how disjointed our rental sector is."

The Scottish Housing Regulator said it was engaging with Sanctuary Scotland about Ms Webb's situation.

A statement said: "Sanctuary Scotland has assured us that it will extend the period of time that Ms Webb can remain in the property whilst it helps her to find suitable alternative accommodation."