Dear Reader,

It is with a heavy heart, but also with hope, that I am writing to you.

Almost four years ago, we bought a property using my partner’s home purchase grant, believing that we could finally build our future together on a solid foundation. Unfortunately, serious errors were made during the purchase by the seller and the solicitor, the consequences of which we are still bearing today.

The property has still not been transferred into our names, as there are encumbrances on it, and the Land Registry has returned the documents we submitted. Meanwhile, the Social Welfare Office is demanding repayment of the grant, now through a bailiff.

We have tried everything: we initiated legal proceedings, explored every possible avenue, but over the years we have become completely exhausted – both financially and emotionally. The constant uncertainty and stress are slowly wearing us down. Although I try to stay calm, it is becoming increasingly difficult.

My partner is hearing-impaired; we’ve been together for nearly six years, and we’ve always tried to solve problems by supporting each other. Now, however, we’ve reached a point where we can’t manage on our own.

I am turning to you now because this is our last chance. If we could sort out our outstanding debts and legal obstacles, perhaps we could keep the home we started building with so much hope.

Any help would mean the world to us.

We are very grateful that you have read this, and even more so if you are able to support us.

If you’re curious about our story, I’ll briefly summarise how we ended up in this situation.

My partner and I met when he left his foster parents. It was difficult for both of us to settle into life: I relied on my mother, and he relied on his foster parents. Eventually, he moved in with us, and for a while we tried to get by together as best we could.

Unfortunately, the problems began not long after. My mother kept receiving letters from the bailiff – one demand notice followed another. We did everything we could to avoid the worst: losing our home.

When we saw that the property had been listed on the auction site, we knew we were in big trouble.

Strangers came to look at the house that had been our home until then – that was very hard to take in. It is particularly painful that we have already repaid several times the amount of the loan taken out in 2010, yet the house was auctioned off at a price below its value, and to this day the remaining debt is being deducted from my mother and father’s pensions – a debt that will never end because of the interest.

When we finally had to move out, we had already found the property where we live now. The owner at the time allowed us to move in temporarily until we could finalise the purchase.

And that’s when the real difficulties began...

If you’d like to read the full

story, please follow the updates on this page. I’ll be sharing everything that happened to us and how we got to this point.

When we moved into the property, our first task was to find work. In a small town, this wasn’t easy, but we eventually managed to find jobs.

Meanwhile, we also started the paperwork required to buy the house: consultations with the guardianship office, finding a solicitor, sorting out the paperwork. We knew this would be a lengthy process, and we made this clear to the owner at the time.

Despite this, right from the first month we were constantly receiving calls asking why we weren’t making faster progress. Although not even a month had passed, he was already talking as if we’d been there for two or three months. A week later, he was referring to it as if four months had gone by. He was making completely unrealistic demands and becoming increasingly impatient.

Soon the threats started too: he said he’d kick us out if we didn’t sort the situation out immediately. Meanwhile, we’d done everything we possibly could. Eventually we found a solicitor, went to see him together, and the contract was drawn up within a week. As usual, all parties made their declarations regarding the sale and purchase, and the signatures were in place.

A week later, however, he turned up unexpectedly to collect his belongings that had been left here. He then confronted us about various items which he claimed were missing. The situation escalated to such an extent that I eventually had to call the police.

Once the police arrived, his behaviour suddenly changed, and we managed to temporarily resolve the situation. However, once they had left, it all started all over again.

Later, he even took my own tools. By then, I just wanted him to leave so we wouldn’t have to see him anymore. My partner completely broke down and cried non-stop for two days. I felt helpless, and to this day it pains me that I couldn’t stand up for us or for him more effectively. At the same time, I know I wouldn’t have been a better person if I’d done something I’d later regretted.

That period took a huge toll on us, and unfortunately, it was only part of what we went through.

Once we felt that everything had worked out and we had a house, we set about tidying up the little house. We spruced up the garden, tried to make it feel like home, and hoped that everything would sort itself out.

Shortly afterwards, however, we received a letter from the solicitor informing us that the Land Registry had returned the documents we’d submitted and asking us to contact the former owner to resolve the issue.

We then received official notification from the Land Registry as well: they could not transfer the property into our name because it was subject to enforcement proceedings.

It is important to note that the purchase price had already been paid by this stage; the guardianship office had transferred the sum to the seller. Despite this, the property had not legally been transferred to our name.

We immediately contacted the former owner, but further problems then came to light. It turned out that the statement made in the contract did not correspond to reality: he had claimed that the property was unencumbered, with no mortgage or other debts attached to it. In contrast, an encumbrance had been placed on the property 3–4 months before we moved in.

Unfortunately, the solicitor had not acted with due care either, as he had not requested the title deed, from which this information would have been clearly apparent.

It was then that we realised we had found ourselves in a situation where the problem was not our fault, yet we were the ones who had to bear the consequences.

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