Grandmother Faces Eviction After Spending £30K on Garden Makeover in Beloved Council House

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A grandmother is worried about being evicted from her council house after investing £30k in a garden renovation without obtaining planning permission.

Renata Mahmoud, who is 48 years old, has been residing in the three-bedroom council house in Moulsecoomb, East Sussex for 19 years, where she also brought up her three children.

The partly detached house features an extensive rear garden; however, it had turned wild and neglected. After one of her kids got hurt while playing there, she resolved to revamp the area.

Ms. Mahmoud had been saving for some time when construction commenced in 2023 to transform the sloped area into a multi-level terrace with three tiers.

She stated to MailOnline, "The previous state of the garden was terrible; nothing could be done about it as not even a gardener would take it on. The area needs leveling, so I've been requesting assistance from the council for years, hoping they could help with this."

I asked them, saying 'I don’t want you to make it perfect; I simply want your assistance in getting started and setting the foundation. I’m not looking for a complete design from you.'

They provided me with nothing for this matter. Their reply was: "No, I'm sorry but the council has no funds available; it's the tenants' duty." This was their final statement.

I created a beautiful garden, but now they've instructed me to remove it. This is quite disheartening since I'm unsure whether I can manage the costs involved; we might end up homeless due to this situation.

Ms. Mahmoud mentioned that the project has set her back by £30,000, encompassing expenses like trimming trees, leveling the ground, and installing a patio.

She went on: "My neighbor was quite pleased; he didn't want all the weeds from my garden creeping into his. Others would joke, 'At last, the eccentric is taking action!'"

I wasn’t aware that I needed to apply for planning permission, and I apologize. However, I cannot simply restore it to how it was before. The area was unsafe; it was extremely steep with various hazards such as loose bricks, metal debris, along with creatures like foxes and snakes.

They ought to have been pleased that one of their council tenants was attempting to enhance their dwelling. This house holds great value for me, truly precious, and I would undertake any effort to make something wonderful happen here. You see, my emotions are deeply rooted in this place; it's where my heart lies—in my home.

We will stay overnight on the streets if we get evicted.

His neighbor Michael Bundock, aged 53, stated he was unable to comprehend the council's stance.

He stated: "I have maintained an ongoing conversation with her and have been providing assistance."

Given that her primary language is Polish, she often finds it challenging to fully grasp what others are saying at times.

She has resided there for 19 years, and we have been here for 20 years, thus we know her quite well; she has never caused any trouble whatsoever.

It used to be a neglected area filled with brambles, weeds, broken bricks, and shattered glass – these elements were equally present. She reached out for assistance numerous times since she had young children at home, yet nobody took action to support her.

I definitely prefer enjoying a lovely garden over having a chaotic mess beside me.

Even though she has concerns, Mrs. Mahmoud still needs to spend thousands of dollars restoring the garden to its initial condition.

Mr. Bundock went on: "Doesn't that seem rather drastic?"

'She has attempted to collaborate with them and even attended mediation, yet they remain completely inflexible.'

It would cost thousands; it's typically the same. My heart goes out to her.

I'm saying, how could they evict her for creating a lovely garden? For years, she was advised repeatedly to “clean up your garden.” Once she finally tidies it up, they tell her that they will evict her unless she restores it to its previous state.

'Why does this not add up? Why envy another person’s realm?'

A representative from Brighton and Hove City Council stated: "The issue has been escalated to the courts, and we believe that the tenant is not adhering to their rental contract."

'The possibility of eviction remains as a final option. At present, there are no intentions to move forward with an eviction process.'

We simply want to reach a solution for the problems caused by the property.

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