Mum fuming after housing association 'bans' family's paddling pool from garden

A mum says her family has been banned from having fun - after she was told she would no longer be allowed a 12ft paddling pool in a communal yard area.

Chelsea Davidson, 38, has been left frustrated after also being told she'd have to cancel her wedding reception, which was planned to be held in the communal area in Walderslade, Kent.

Despite having already forked out £200 for a buffet for the event, Chelsea was recently told by her housing association she'd have to find a new venue.

The mum-of-two was suddenly told by mhs homes that her paddling pool - which she's put up every summer for the past decade without problems - will now have to go.

Chelsea, who has lived at the flats since 2009, was told her pool breached her tenancy agreement.

She says the pool has made an appearance between March and September every year for around a decade.

She said: “We haven't got anything around this area for the kids. The only thing we ever get is during the holidays and you might have the occasional club at the school but nowhere for teenagers to socialise.

“The kids love playing together. If they're not outside playing in the pool or kicking a football, they're trashing my kitchen, baking cakes and rolls.

"It's what we do - we love the fun. We've had barbecues, we've had birthday parties, we've even had little wedding parties down in the yard over the years.

“But now we're not allowed barbecues, we're not allowed to have fun and it's not allowed to be a communal yard.”

During a recent phone call, Ms Davidson was also told she wouldn't be able to host her wedding reception in the yard when she marries her partner of 19 years, Bob Gartward, in August - despite already having forked out to Gillingham Street Angels for a buffet.

“The plans have gone out the window thanks to mhs,” Chelsea said. “It's taken us this long to plan because of a lack of money.

“Everyone up here is invited, we're like a family, so I don’t see what the problem is.”

Bride to be Ms Davidson received a letter from mhs homes confirming the matters discussed on the phone earlier this month, which stated the family-sized pool is 'prohibited in communal areas' and 'goes against' its tenancy management policy.

It said an investigation would be launched which could put her tenancy at risk if she didn't remove the pool and any other children's toys or personal items from the communal yard.

Chelsea has removed the pool but has now started a petition, signed by 18 fellow residents of the balcony area where she lives, and plans to put it back up in the coming days.

A spokesman for mhs homes insisted the health and safety of its customers is its 'top priority'.

He added: “Communal spaces are a great way of bringing residents together and building a sense of community, but we also have a responsibility to keep people safe in these areas.

“We understand one of our customers wanted to celebrate their wedding reception in the communal space.

“However, as part of their tenancy agreement, we ask people not to use these spaces for barbeques, which can potentially lead to a fire hazard, or for large family-sized pools or trampolines, which also carry a health and safety risk.

"This is an important part of keeping people safe.”