A COUPLE have been living out of their car for eight weeks as they are struggling to find housing.

Tina and Winston Reid, both 54, were living in a private house in Romford for four years.

However, their landlord decided to sell the house and they were forced to leave.

They bought a caravan in Thurrock, which they lived in for two years, but eight weeks ago, they had a sewage problem which drove them out of the caravan and left them homeless.

Since then they have been living out of Winston’s Mercedes in Mersea, where Tina’s parents live.

With the cold weather coming, they are worried they may die in the car if they do not find housing soon.

Tina said: “Thurrock Council told us they were unable to find housing for us as we haven’t been living there long enough.”

“My daughter, who is 33, lived in the caravan next to us with her three children who were 13, five, and three months old at the time.

“They had the sewage problem too, but as she has children she was rehomed in Thurrock.

Of the sewage problem she said: “The stench was horrible, we couldn’t wash or shower or go to the toilet.

“We were going over to Sainsbury’s just to wash, change our clothes and brush our teeth. After three months I couldn’t take it any more.”

While living in the caravan she had spent about a year trying to bid for housing in Mersea but without success.

The couple ended up driving to Mersea so Tina could be closer to her parents.

She said: “My dad has dementia and my mum uses a walking stick - they live in a one-bed flat so there is no room for us there.

Colchester Council said they would assist me in finding private housing. I have called around 40 houses but they won’t take us as we don’t have a guarantor and they ask for so much money upfront.

“I’ve even been looking at studio flats, or single rooms.”

She said despite the cold, they cannot have the engine running because it wastes the petrol.

She said: “I’m on Employment Support Allowance and my husband is on Universal Credit, and we have to use that money to stay in rooms for a night where we can, just to get out of the cold.

“We have both been to A&E recently - I was there because I tried to take my own life, I couldn’t take it any more.

“My husband was there because of his back, it’s painful being in the car.”

Tina has been sleeping in the back of the Mercedes, while Winston takes the front seat.

The couple drive around to supermarkets and public car parks around the island, where they will stay for the night.

Tina has never worked due to ill health, but Winston was a bricklayer before the ordeal happened.

Tina is worried he may never be able to work again due to his deteriorating condition.

Tina added: “We go to Beacon House in Colchester sometimes and they have done so much for us. Winston is 55 this year and when you reach 55 you’re entitled to sheltered housing.

“However his birthday is in May and we could be dead by then. I’m worried we are going to die here.”

A SPOKESMAN for Colchester Borough Homes said all cases are dealt with under the relevant legislation but it could take up to two years for some people to get a home.

He said: “As a general rule this means if any applicant presents as homeless and we believe they may have a priority need, we may have a duty to provide accommodation while we look to find a housing solution that relieves their homelessness either financially or physically.

“If we do not believe they have a priority need, accommodation will not be provided but we will still assist them to secure alternative accommodation.

“If we are unable to relieve their homelessness, we are required to make inquiries under the full or main homeless duty. If we accept this duty under the relevant homeless legislation, temporary accommodation will be provided and their banding on the housing register will be amended to reflect this.

“Applicants will then remain in temporary accommodation until they are either housed through the housing register or we end the duty by placing them in private sector accommodation.

“It is difficult to determine the length of time an applicant will have to wait for specific property types to become available, as applicants are able to decide this by bidding on properties.

“In general, most applicants wait in excess of 18 to 24 months.”