‘My life is on hold’: Woman shares bed with mother amid housing struggle

Kieran Molloy, Local Democracy Reporter

A Cardiff woman has had to resort to sharing a bed with her mother in a single-bedroom flat as the council cannot move them.

For the last four and a half years Rachel Griffiths, 51, has slept in a bed with her mother, Marilynn Prance, 74, as Cardiff Council cannot find suitable accommodation for the pair.

Ms Prance was diagnosed with dementia in 2022 but, according to her daughter, started showing symptoms in 2018.

Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) Ms Griffiths said; “Mum couldn’t afford her rent up in Pengam Green on her flat so I moved mum in with me and that’s when I really noticed her [condition] was really deteriorating.”

She added: “I grew up in the 1970s so it was the norm to sleep with your parent but, at the moment, I have no life.

“I can’t have a relationship – I’m sharing my bed with my mother. It’s like my life is on hold basically and I need my own space, especially when my mother has wet the bed.”

Ms Prance has bladder issues which leads to frequent accidents at night.

Ms Griffiths said: “I shouldn’t have to, in 2026, share my bed with my mother. I have had no life for the last four and a half years.”

Ms Griffiths has requested the council move her from her flat, in Meirion Place in Tremorfa, but says she has been told none are available in her preferred area of Whitchurch.

She also claimed there are issues with anti-social behaviour on the estate which have contributed to her desire to relocate.

A Cardiff council spokesman said: “Ms Griffiths’ housing needs have changed since she was allocated her current home, which was suitable at the time.

“Her current housing needs have been assessed as requiring a larger property and she has been registered for a larger home on the housing waiting list.”

They added: “The time taken to be able to offer a move to more suitable accommodation depends on a number of factors including the area(s) that an applicant specifies for the move.

“This is particularly the case where there is limited council or registered social landlord housing in the chosen area.

“We encourage people to consider as wide a range of locations as possible but also recognise the challenges this can cause and entirely understand that some applicants would prefer to wait for their particular area of choice.

“We are working to increase the supply of social rented and affordable homes in Cardiff with over 2,000 new homes already delivered and plans in place to deliver over 4,500 in total.

“As in this case we take reports of anti-social behaviour very seriously. We are aware of issues in relation to this case and are working with residents to resolve them.”

In regard to antisocial behaviour on the estate a spokesman for South Wales Police said: “We are aware of an ongoing neighbourhood dispute in Meirion Place and are working with the housing provider to help resolve the issue.”