A single mum faced losing her home after landing a roof repairs bill of nearly £5,000 and an ultimatum to pay up by March.

Landlord mhs homes wrote to Lorraine Smith last Friday saying if the amount was not settled she would be slapped with a repossession order.

This was for the flat she shares with her two children – she was also told she may land up in court.

In desperation, the 45-year-old leaseholder handed over £1,500 of her savings and offered a monthly direct debit payment of £150 to the housing association.

She was initially told this was unacceptable as it would take about two years to pay the sum in full.

But, after KentOnline contacted Chatham-based mhs, she was assured she would be offered a "mutually acceptable arrangement".

The company's operations director, Stephanie Goad, said: "We’re sorry for the distress this is causing.

"We informed leaseholders in August 2020 that essential works would be carried out to their property, and that [they] would be responsible for their share of the costs of these works.

"This is part of their leaseholder agreement with us. We’re committed to working with Mrs Smith to agree a mutually acceptable arrangement and urge her to remain in contact with us."

Lorraine said: "I was so frightened by this I paid £1,500 in fear, but I have no other means to pay unless it's monthly payments added to my service charge.

"I'm happy to pay and not disputing the bill. But it is the way it as been handled.

"I earn £8,000 a year; how am I supposed to find £5,000 out of the blue?"

She maintains the housing association had originally said it would be adjusting the monthly service charge to help pay the bill, "but this didn't happen".

Divorcee Lorraine holds down two jobs, a NHS receptionist at Medway Maritime Hospital, Gillingham, and a teaching assistant at St Andrew's School, Rochester.

She is also mum to daughter Amelia,11, and Joey, 14, who have lived at the family home in Arethusa Road, Rochester, for more than four years.

Lorraine added: "I'm still really angry with what they have put me through. I have had sleepless nights and suffered huge stress, worry and depression which has affected my children."

She suffers from vasovagal syncope, a condition triggered by emotional distress which can result in a sudden drop in blood pressure and heart rate leading to blackouts.

Her neighbour Olive Medhurst, who has leased her flat for about 50 years, received the same letter for payment of the roof work carried out in 2020.

The senior citizen said: "I'm very cross at the way this has come about.

"Nothing like this has happened in the past.We would normally be given a period of about two years to pay.

"I'm lucky I had the money. But how can you expect people to conjure up £5,000 out of nowhere?"