A GRIEVING family could potentially be made homeless by a housing association.

Jeanetta McMahon, 33, of Gainsborough Road in Basingstoke, has been handed an eviction notice, which was originally for Boxing Day this year, but has been brought forward to November 20.

Ms McMahon believed she would have the right of succession from Sovereign to stay in the property, following the death of her grandfather Derek, 80.

The family – Jeanetta, her mother Dawn, younger sister Pandora and Pandora’s fiancé Sam Burton – say there was a verbal agreement between Derek, who suffered a cardiac arrest, and Sovereign, but it is not being stuck to.

Ms McMahon, who works in home care but is currently on sick leave, moved back to the property in 2012 to help care for her grandfather until his death in July this year.

She said: “There have been three generations of this family raised in this house, and now they want to take it away from us. We’ve been in this house one way or the other for over 40 years and now we don’t know what might happen next. It will always be our family home, no matter what happens to it.”

The four are now facing a bleak Christmas. Ms McMahon said: “They have offered no support, they are just willing to make a family of vulnerable people homeless and are causing further financial hardship at a time when we are mourning the loss of a close family member. It’s causing no end of emotional pain.”

The family are currently in discussion with a solicitor who is getting the family assessed by social services. The council have offered them help, but there is a wait on any rent deposit scheme. Ms McMahon added: “We can’t afford to get the moving costs together or a month’s rent. Everything is still in flux, the solicitor has told us to hold still until we can figure out what will happen.”

A spokesperson for Sovereign said: “Unfortunately, Ms McMahon isn’t automatically entitled to carry on living in the house following the death of her grandfather. Currently we’re working with Ms McMahon and Basingstoke & Deane about how best to support her and her family with their housing.”