Outrage after council asks paralysed grandad to ‘blink’ to end tenancy agreement

  • ITV News Meridian's Rachel Hepworth has been speaking to Peter's daughters

A family from Hampshire say they're furious after their paralysed father was asked to 'blink' in order to get out of his tenancy agreement. Peter Badger was left unable to move or talk after suffering two brain bleeds.

His daughters tried to cancel the tenancy of the flat he can no longer live in, but Southampton City Council said they needed confirmation direct from Peter, suggesting he blink at a housing officer.

The local authority has since apologised for the delays and distress and promised to review its procedures.

Peter and his daughters, Amber and Lara Credit: ITV News Meridian

Peter's daughter, Amber, said: "I completely understand that there are processes and laws and things that need to be followed, but there was no compassion.

"It was, we were just another tick box, and that was really hard to add in with everything that we were dealing with anyway."

Lara, Peter's other daughter, said: They could have spoken to the care home, who could have told him that dad was a permanent resident here.

"They could have spoken to Dad's GP who could have explained the situation or the hospital. Not once did they say, I'm sorry to hear that happened to your dad and it really doesn't take much."

Peter is now being cared for at a specialist nursing home and is having to learn new ways of communicating, and building relationships with his grandchildren.

But his daughters say the lack of empathy from the housing team, and the hoops they had to jump through, compounded what was already a difficult time and they fear for others

"There are so many people that don't have people fighting for them. So there needs to be processes and systems in place for these people.

"If dad didn't have us, he would still be paying rent. He would still be paying council tax because no one stopped to think, how can we make this work for Dad?

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