In March this year, a violent domestic abuser lost his GCH home, when his partner (V) successfully applied to court for a Transfer of Tenancy Order. V had been suffering from domestic abuse for years without telling anyone, but things changed after a particularly violent attack, when her concerned neighbours called the police and contacted GCH. The perpetrator was arrested, but as the tenancy was in his sole name, V had no rights to the tenancy. Suffering from anxiety and worried about losing her support network, V was fearful of moving out into temporary accommodation.
GCH worked with partner agencies to identify the best outcome for V and supported her to obtain a Non-Molestation Order within 6 weeks. The police extended the perpetrator’s bail conditions while arrangements were made for a court hearing. At the court hearing, a Transfer of Tenancy order was granted.
V said “It’s had a massive impact on my life because if I had to move out and start somewhere that I didn’t know and where I wasn’t comfortable, it would set my anxiety off a lot. The neighbours are really supportive as well. I found it easier to have a life here, and I could actually do things myself rather than rely on my support workers.” And she had the following advice for neighbours if they suspect domestic abuse: “Report it. Report it straight away and then GCH should do something about it straight away.”
Director of Housing Operations Natalie Thelwell said: “This is the first Transfer of Tenancy order that GCH has obtained. The perpetrator has lost his home, which is a very serious matter. We hope this will send a signal that GCH will not tolerate domestic abuse. We are currently working towards DAHA accreditation for GCH and the work we have been doing in this area has been very helpful in achieving this outcome.”
DAHA accreditation is the UK benchmark for how housing providers should respond to domestic abuse in the UK. It is recognised in the government’s Ending Violence against Women and Girls Strategy: 2016 to 2020. By becoming DAHA accredited, housing providers and services are taking a stand to ensure they deliver safe and effective responses to domestic abuse.