The furore surrounding a mother-of-five claiming benefits while living in a £800,000 Edgware home has divided opinions among neighbours.
Residents living in Priory Field Drive have experienced a media frenzy after it was exposed one of their neighbours, Omowunmi Odia, had moved her family into the five-bedroom mock-Tudor house.
The single mother, who is claiming local housing allowance from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), has been living in the property for about two weeks, after she was unable to find a suitable house through Barnet Council.
Mrs Odia, who is in her 30s, had previously been living in a cramped flat, but was forced out after a court order was obtained against her that left her facing homelessness.
She declined an offer by the council to rehouse her in Enfield so the family could remain in Edgware, close to the children’s school.
One resident said: “It is an open five-bedroom house, and she needs a five-bedroom house, so why shouldn’t she take it?”
A council spokesman said the authority had “absolutely no involvement” in finding or placing Mrs Odia in the home, and her living there had no impact on council tax or the council’s budget.
More than £4 billion of taxpayers’ money is spent on housing benefits across London, prompting criticism of the system that allows private landlords to benefit from higher rents.
The council spokesman said the authority had no idea of the amount being paid by Mrs Odia to her landlord.
Another neighbour said: “If I was in her position I would want to take a house like that. It is down to the benefits office to be stricter.”
The house has two large sitting-rooms, a conservatory and a double garage, but the council spokes-man said Mrs Odia was paid “considerably less” in housing benefits than the annual rent figure of £25,000 quoted in some national papers.
Carol Weinstein, 34, said some residents were “bitter” that taxpayers’ money was being used to pay her rent, but she did not blame Mrs Odia.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here