A GRIEVING widower, who was given two days' notice by a housing association to leave his home, has called for the law to be changed.

Joost ten Wolde was told by Glasgow West Housing Association he had to get out of the flat in Colebrooke Street, two weeks after his wife died and days before her funeral last month.

Stacey, 39, died from cancer and the landlord said because the tenancy was in her name and he was not listed as living there he was not entitled to continue as the tenant and had to leave.

Joost said he was shocked when he was told he could go to a homeless shelter.

Glasgow Times: Just ten Wolde

He said he was terrified to leave the house in case they came and changed the locks and he would be homeless days before his wife’s funeral.

After refusing to leave and negotiating with the landlord he has now reached an agreement he will be able to stay in the flat for four months and then move on.

The couple married in March 2022 after they had been together for 10 years.

Stacey signed the tenancy agreement in February but didn’t state her husband was also living there.

She was admitted to hospital days before they were due to move in, so Joost moved in and was getting it ready.

Stacey died on April 14 and her husband was given notice on April 26 to leave on April 28.

Joost said: “I got an email from the housing association literally four days before the funeral that I need to leave the house.

“At that moment, I'm in so much pain. My wife died and then I need to be worried about leaving the house.

“And I think in your mind, people need to have time to grieve. Give them a month or two months just to grieve.

“I called them the next day and they said I need to leave the house and I could go to a homeless shelter. I just think that it's not fair. 

“My wife had died. I need time to grieve and if you lose someone, your mind, it's not there.

“I think it needs to be changed. If you live with someone, take care of someone and the person dies you need to get at least one or two months to grieve.

“And then you can say okay I'm ready to move on or you need more time.

“That's the problem here. You just get forced. Before a funeral and I need to leave the house, that's not fair."

Joost was critical of how the situation was handled given he was dealing with the death of his wife and hopes no one else should find themselves in the same position.

He said: “The human factor is completely gone.

“Also, it's not only for me, but it's for other people going through the same situation.

“I can understand a lot of people if they get that letter and don’t have the power to fight."

He has accepted the offer to stay for four months, during which time he will not be charged rent.

He said: “It gives me time to find another house to go to, to get my life back together."

Joost was assisted by Sean Clerkin of the Scottish Tenants Organisation.

He said: “I think this whole issue is a disgrace that he wasn't given the tenancy succession and I think the law needs to be changed.

“So that people who lose a loved one should be able to be given a grace period, a minimum period, where they can grieve and stay in the property rent free.”

A spokesperson for West Glasgow Housing Association said: "We are pleased to have reached an amicable solution with Mr ten Wolde."