A family of four in the Wedmore Vale area of Bristol faces potential homelessness after housing association Brighter Places informed them they cannot inherit the tenancy of their deceased parents' home.
Mario and Leoni di Blasi relocated to the property in 2022 to assist Mario's disabled mother after his father passed away suddenly.
Following his mother's death in March 2025, the housing provider notified the couple that they were required to vacate the premises.
Succession Policy Dispute
The decision stems from Brighter Places' policy, which specifies that individuals residing in a property have no legal right to inherit a tenancy if the deceased tenant was already a successor.
Although the provider maintains a discretionary succession evaluation, officials determined the family did not qualify under existing criteria.
Mario di Blasi reported being signed off from his job at Bristol Waste due to stress regarding the eviction proceedings.
The family has initiated a legal challenge to contest the decision, with their next court hearing set for August 18.
"It's just always going through your mind, there's never a break. It's every day, all you think about," Mario di Blasi said.
He noted that his parents had resided at the location since 2005, making the impending departure emotionally difficult.
"It's just everything, [all the] memories... it's a home for us as well, it's a safe place really," he said.
He expressed distress over losing the residence after establishing their household there. "Now we've made it our home, it's just getting taken off us.
It's just not a nice feeling at all," Mario di Blasi said.
His wife, Leoni di Blasi, stated that moving in to care for her mother-in-law was their primary option and that the housing association instructed them to contact Bristol City Council upon leaving.
"They're supposed to help the community no matter where you've come from, or who you are, or what your background is - you are supposed to help people with housing," Leoni di Blasi said.
She criticized the support offered by the provider during the transition period. "They haven't helped us, they've just told us to go," she said.
She added that the uncertainty has disrupted their ability to plan basic household activities or look ahead.
"Are we going to be here this Christmas or is this our last summer here? [It's] little things like, do I do the garden?
because I might not be here," Leoni di Blasi said.
Representatives from the renters union ACORN have stepped in to represent the household during the legal dispute.
"We know [Brighter Places] have got to meet their obligations, we know that they've got their own rights and responsibilities and stuff like that," Katrina Eastgate, representative for ACORN, said.
Eastgate advocated for greater consideration of the family's personal circumstances amidst their bereavement.
"All we're asking is for them to see the people who are looking at losing their home," she said.
She highlighted the emotional strain experienced by individuals navigating complex administrative procedures shortly after a family loss.
"A lot of people are dealing with this at a time where they're losing a loved one and it feels like there's a real lack of compassion in some of these processes and procedures that don't acknowledge that someone's just lost a parent, maybe two," Eastgate said.
Brighter Places stated that management reviewed the situation multiple times following inquiries from the family's advocate, local councillor, and Member of Parliament.
A spokesperson for Brighter Places stated that the case had "been considered carefully and reviewed by managers" but it had to "balance compassion with our legal and regulatory responsibilities to ensure homes are allocated fairly and in line with policy."
The organization noted that its stance remains unchanged and declined further public comment pending the court hearing on August 18.
"Following these reviews, our decision has remained unchanged," a spokesperson said.
