Jeff Lampert:
Jane and I, being at similar stages of our litigation, can help each other with all the horrible stages of eviction.
Eviction can lead to PTSD. So can Legal Abuse Syndrome.
In both Jane's and my case, it has certainly led to hypertension, directly and through our life partners.
The effect on Godfrey was clear. After Godfrey died it continued to affect Jane.
In 1998, after failing to reach an agreement with me, Lloyds Bank decided "we will continue with previous strategy of selling the remaining Docklands flat, and maintaining pressure to ensure that Mrs Lampert keeps to the terms of the legal agreement" and brought legal action against Vanessa for not material chattels during our eviction, just to continue to abuse the litigation.
Some years later Vanessa developed breast cancer. During this time, I developed hypertension.
Subsequently, Vanessa needed a valve replaced in her heart, not an unusual effect of breast cancer. I was attempting to get relevant information from the Information Commissioner`s Office about the perjured affidavit in my litigation. My blood pressure shot up to 208 over 104.
I got an adjournment on the hearing.
Being able to talk to Jane about the effect evictions have on our partners and our health helps me.
Jane Farmer:
I didn’t think anyone had gone through what I had. But once I started to talk to Jeff about it, I realised that he understood the horror, helplessness and sheer anger. I knew that he and his wife, Vanessa, had suffered life-threatening illness after they were evicted from their home. As a result of his own experience, he was able to discuss the anguish that my late husband, Godfrey, had been put through and he recognised exactly how the burden of a personal guarantee had been foisted on him, leading to mental health issues and suicide. Not only do I hear the utmost sympathy and understanding for what happened to Godfrey, but Jeff has also shown me that Godfrey did the right thing in offering the considerable intellectual capital in his business – which the bank would not accept.
Before I encountered Jeff on Twitter, I remember becoming so ill when I was subject to relentless litigation about my home, that I’d had to give up. Jeff told me about the pressure which had been put on his wife in the same way.
It was Jeff who recently urged me to do something about my high blood pressure.
Being able to talk about my eviction - and how it happened - helps me. So does the way in which we are now questioning every part of the process that allows the eviction of a family to result from business banking.
Jane and Jeff met on Twitter.
If you would like to meet your buddy the same way please identify what you require from that person via #evictionbuddies.