Orpington mother's struggle to keep Huntington's sufferer daughter safe
2:53pm Wednesday 3rd October 2012 in News By Harry Kemble
L-R Samantha Brown, Janet Chanter and Joanne Cosar
AN ORPINGTON mother is struggling to downsize from her four-bedroom home even though her daughter’s life is threatened every day they stay there.
Janet Chanter, 62, of Cray Valley Road, lives with her daughter Samantha Brown, 39, who suffers from a progressive brain disease called Huntington’s causing her difficulty with menial tasks.
Since February, Ms Chanter has repeatedly tried to register with Housing Solutions at Bromley Council so she can bid for a bungalow house.
However, the mother-of-three has still not received the pin number she needs to bid for housing for her family.
She said: "I am laughing because I am so angry I do not know where else to go.
"I know there are people desperate for houses out there that would need a four-bedroom house like ours.
"The council just do not take any notice of anybody."
Both Ms Chanter’s daughters have Huntington’s which impairs a person's ability to walk, think, talk and reason.
The hereditary disease causes daughter Mrs Brown to fall in the bathroom regularly and even fall down the stairs, as she did four months ago breaking her collar bone in the process.
Mrs Brown needed two serious operations to drain her brain of excess fluid after the near fatal fall.
Despite the house being fitted with a lift Samantha’s brain cannot understand the importance of the safety device causing her to walk down the stairs.
Ms Chanter's other daughter Joanne Cosar, 43, of Barnfield Road has had numerous falls at her own three bedroom home.
"I sometimes think I would better speaking to Boris Johnson, he is always going on about this housing problem," she said.
"The whole system is ludicrous."
"It would be amazing if we could move to a bungalow because at the moment it is dangerous her being here."
Over the last four years Ms Chanter, who is retired, says she has made four bids for a bungalow but only one has been accepted by Housing Solutions.
However, Ms Chanter and her partner Ken Peek, 64, did not pursue the house because Mrs Brown wanted to live with her three children before her condition worsened.
Mrs Brown moved back into the family home two years ago.
The council say they are currently working to resolve the ongoing situation with Ms Chanter and her family.
A council spokesperson said: "We can confirm we are currently in contact with the family.
"However, it would not be appropriate to discuss someone’s individual circumstances.
"We would always explore whether a property can be adapted to meet a family's health and disability needs."
