A WOMAN gave away most of her belongings to escape a large rent increase at a retirement home she "did not feel safe" in.

Jennifer Fidler arrived in Salisbury four years ago with just £7,000 to her name after she was "abandoned abroad" by her husband of 38 years.

The 77-year-old, who joined the Army at 17, was helped by Salisbury's Women's Royal Army Corps branch to secure a flat in Pembroke House, on Fisherton Street, where she lived for four years.

In April, Stonewater announced it would be upping residents' weekly payments by effectively 50 per cent, resulting in some residents paying £271.20 per week for a one-bedroom flat, up from the £181.21.

Salisbury Journal: An invoice given to Karl Peter Bertenshaw, a resident at Pembroke House, in April.An invoice given to Karl Peter Bertenshaw, a resident at Pembroke House, in April. (Image: James Munro)

The rent rise was capped at 11.1 per cent in accordance with government guidance but the retired residents are classified as 'commercial customers' so there is no cap on increasing their energy bills.

Read more: ​Pembroke House residents fear future as costs rise by over £4k

Ms Fidler told the Journal that she did not feel safe in Pembroke House and claimed she found homeless people who knew the door access code sleeping on the settees in the communal area outside her flat in 2022.

She also said that the lifts would frequently be out of action, sometimes for weeks, which made getting to her third-floor flat difficult as she awaited knee replacement surgery.

I wished I could die.

Ms Fidler was "desperate" to get out and handed her notice in "straight away" after realising she would not be able to pay the new costs.

But this meant leaving behind her community of friends at Pembroke House and all of her furniture since the supported living flat she would be moving into was much smaller.

"I just sat there and cried and wished I could die. I have no family and very little money," she said..

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By the end of April Ms Fidler had moved into a council-owned flat in Norfolk Road, Harnham, which she is "grateful" for since she pays no rent but claims her kitchen is too small to cook in.

Salisbury Journal: Jennifer Fidler in her new flat.Jennifer Fidler in her new flat. (Image: Salisbury Journal)

She added: "I gave my life away so I could come here. There are still people in there [Pembroke House] who are desperate to get out."

On June 26, Stonewater told residents it would reduce the weekly rent and service charge total to £228.64, from £271.20 after it "secured new energy contracts with cheaper rates".

Customer experience director Helena Doyle, at Stonewater, did not deny that homeless people were entering Pembroke House and sleeping overnight.

She said: "As Ms Fidler no longer lives at Pembroke House, we can’t really comment on her views which relate to some time ago. We always ask that customers to advise us right away of any issues so we can respond appropriately.

“The lift is working fine since the refurbishment was completed. While it was out of action during the work, everyone was offered the option of temporary accommodation and we provided a laundry and shopping service so that they didn’t need to take the stairs as often.”