A grieving woman could be made homeless if Islington Council decides she has no right to keep the flat her family has lived in for 39 years.

Kim Rodway, who was her mum’s carer until she died in November, has been told she could be forced out of her home in Highbury Quadrant Estate.

The town hall says no decision has been made yet but confirmed Kim has no right to succeed the tenancy because it has already changed hands once – when it was passed from both of her parents to just her mum.

“I haven’t had time to grieve,” Kim wrote in a letter to the town hall’s planning boss.

“I haven’t even sorted out my mum’s bills or finished notifying people of her death. All my belongings and furniture are at the flat, also some of mum’s things that I don’t want to part with yet.

“Apart from looking for accommodation and storage, notifying people and paying bills, I will also need to look for a job as my carer’s allowance will soon run out.

“Having to do all this within such a short time is leaving me emotionally ruined, distraught, physically drained and traumatised.

“I can’t believe that the council could treat me like this, it is disgusting, especially over Christmas. My parents have been good tenants and have always paid their rent regularly for thirty-nine-and-a-half years. I have continued to pay the rent on time.”

Kim moved out of her flat for two years before moving back, so understands she can’t stay in the two-bedroom house, but has asked to be re-homed.

She said town hall staff told her last month she had four weeks to move out, meaning she would have to leave by Monday. But a town hall spokesman told the Gazette it would take several months, and Monday was just the earliest possible time a possession notice could be submitted to the crown court.

He added: “Our thoughts are with the family of our late tenant at this very sad time. We’re waiting for more information in support of Ms Rodway’s request for a tenancy, and no final decision has been made.

“We take carer arrangements into consideration, although there is no right to succeed as the tenancy has already changed hands once.”