A mother fears she will become “isolated” if she is forced to move because of regeneration of council housing.

Nadine Holt, of Haverland Court, Stonegrove, has been living in a house in Edgware managed by Barnet Homes with her son Logan, three, for four years.

With the property due to be demolished as part of a regeneration project, the 24-year-old was told she would have to find alternative accommodation.

She opted to stay with the housing group instead of finding a private landlord, so was offered a flat in Kingsley Drive, Hampstead Garden Suburb.

But with her son’s childminder in Edgware, her job in Watford and her hairdressing college in Borehamwood, she says her life will become a “complete struggle”.

She said: “They’re playing with people’s lives and I feel so frustrated. They don’t understand how hard I’m trying to live a normal life, and how impossible living in Hampstead Garden Suburb will be.

“It’s so stressful. I am going to be so isolated there. It’s miles away from anywhere. I feel as though I am being dumped in the middle of nowhere. I refuse to go.

“I’m not sleeping or eating and all I feel like doing is crying. It’s an awful situation to be in and I hate that my son has to go through it.”

Her son’s family all live in the Edgware area and have provided her with a “tremendous” amount of support – something which they will not be able to do if she moves across the borough.

She also claims she specified she did not want to move to the Colindale or Grahame Park area due to family history.

She added: “I don’t want to live in privately rented accommodation as you only get 12-month contracts. It would be too unsettling for Logan to have to move.

“Barnet Homes also offered me a flat in Hampstead Garden Suburb but I specifically requested a house because I’ve got a dog and a cat for security.

“They told me I could find another job or get another childminder – it doesn’t work that way.

“I’ll lose my whole support network. I’ll be completely on my own.”

Barnet Homes full statement

“Nadine had stated that she would like a property in Edgware and was told that secure properties are very rare in the area and there are only private properties available. She told her Decants Project Officer that this was OK and that she was willing to move into private as a last resort and look for her own housing under the local housing allowance rate. Therefore she was originally invited to view two private properties in Edgware, being fully aware of the lack of secure properties in the area. The first property was offered to another client and she was unable to attend the viewing of the second property on two occasions due to her work. Her Projects Officer had also been looking for properties within the west of Barnet to be close to Edgware, such as Burnt Oak and Golders Green, as unfortunately Nadine is unable to move into Colindale and Grahame Park areas in the west of the borough due to previous history.

"She was then nominated for a property in Hampstead Garden Suburb on 27 June as this was the only available 2-bed property for that week. This property is an assured Housing Association property (assured tenancy) which is about the most secure form of tenancy available. She was nominated for this property as she had told her Decants Project Officer in her assessment that she drives so he believed she could easily drop off her son to the child minder and then proceed to her work in Watford. The time this would take her by car was measured at 16.3 miles taking 27 minutes. She was encouraged to view this property.

"She telephoned the Barnet Homes Housing Service Manager last week where it emerged in the course of the conversation that she had given the car to her father so no longer had use of it. She was clearly advised by the Manager of the steps she can take if she is not happy with the offer. 1 That she has the right to ask for an initial review of the offer through her Projects Officer. 2 If he decides the offer is reasonable, she can either accept the offer or formally appeal against it (Section 202).”