A hoarder found to be living in “terrible conditions” in a property “dangerously full” of possessions has avoided losing her home after a housing association and a charity stepped in to help.

Red Kite Community Housing said the High Wycombe woman’s home was “one of the worst cases of hoarding” they had witnessed.

As well as piles of clothing and belongings cluttering up the house, her garden was also “completely overgrown” and full of rubbish.

When Red Kite gained access to the house, they found it had been “severely neglected” by the tenant, with a hole in the bathroom floor and “significant” movement to the downstairs floor.

The housing association was forced to take legal action after months of unsuccessfully trying to support the tenant with advice and referrals to support agencies.

A breakthrough was made during the summer when the tenant went to seek advice from Wycombe Homeless Connection.

Staff and volunteers from the charity helped her get legal advice, but also helped her tidy up the house, clear away excess items, and make repairs.

Due to the improvements, it was agreed that a suspended possession order would be acceptable, rather than an outright possession order.

At High Wycombe County Court on Thursday, November 8, the order was agreed by Judge Childs for a period of two years.

The strict conditions attached to the order allow Red Kite to regularly check the property to make sure it is still maintained.

Now the property is clear, Red Kite is set to assess the home to establish the exact damage that has been caused and make a start on carrying out the work to fix it.

James Boultbee, WHC operations manager, said: “This was an exceptional occasion, where we helped a family in housing crisis in a very unusual way.

“Sometimes problems just mount up and people find themselves weighed down by all the pressure. I’m pleased that we were able to relieve some of this pressure and help ensure that they avoided being made homeless”.

Trevor Morrow, Red Kite Community Housing’s chief executive, added: “This was a very complex case that had been ongoing for a number of years before we eventually gained access in December 2017.

“After offering advice and help we were left with no option other than to seek possession of the house as it was not being maintained to the standards that are set out in the tenancy agreement.

“The property was causing issues for neighbours and affecting the way they were able to enjoy their homes.”

“After intervention from Wycombe Homeless Connection significant improvements were made and we really hope our customer is able to maintain the standards we expect.

“We will now be visiting the home regularly to help and support the tenant to keep the house in good order. We would like to thank Wycombe Homeless Connection for the work they have done with us to achieve a positive outcome.”