John faced ill health and redundancy and they had to leave the privately rented home they had occupied for the previous four years, when it was put on the market.

“We wanted to stay in Codsall and we needed to move quickly. The only place we were offered was a lot smaller, with three sets of stairs to climb. We had to put most of our furniture and personal possessions into storage and it was really hard with three young children, having so little space. I’m in a lot of pain and was struggling to manage the stairs. We tried to stay positive for the family but we were getting increasingly desperate.” John explains.

Eventually, the couple contacted South Staffordshire Council to see if there was any support available to them.

“We knew nothing about social housing and to be honest, we didn’t expect anyone to be able to help. We just didn’t know where to turn.”

To John’s surprise, SSHA stepped in to turn things around for the young family. John and Melanie were offered a three-bedroomed home on a new estate in the village. They moved in just before Christmas.

“The housing association has been amazing and I was shocked at how quickly they acted. We’ve got a proper family home now, with a secure future for our children. It’s a lovely house and a great neighbourhood; the children have already made lots of friends.

“We had a tough time last year and two house moves in four months were incredibly stressful, which had an impact on my health. We celebrated the New Year in our new home and it felt like a fresh start for the whole family.”

Looking to move home?

The first step to moving into a new home is to register with MyHomeFinder (South Staffordshire) or Shropshire Homepoint. If you are already registered and eligible you can bid for homes as they become available.