Visually impaired tenant and his pregnant wife left in a park in Bolu: Landlord denies allegations

In Bolu, Emrah Yıldırım, who is 49 percent visually impaired, and his 3-month pregnant wife, Ayşenur Yıldırım, claimed they were evicted from their home and spent the night at Atatürk Orman Park because they could not find a place to stay. Nurhan Alagöz, who learned about their situation, opened the doors of her home to the couple.

According to the allegations, the Yıldırım couple, who were living in the Dodurga neighborhood with a monthly rent of 500 liras, were evicted on the night of August 15 by their landlord, M.Y., on the grounds that "a road would pass through the area where the house is located and there was a demolition order." Emrah Yıldırım claimed that while he was out shopping, the landlord came to the house and forced his wife out.

Yıldırım stated that he lost one of his eyes as a result of a chemical accident at his workplace last year, that he has a report stating he is "unfit for work," and that he therefore has difficulty finding a job. Stating that he and his wife are in a difficult situation, Yıldırım called for help, saying, "We do not want to stay on the streets."

Describing the night of the incident, Emrah Yıldırım said, "We slept on the playground equipment in the park." Yıldırım stated that his only income is the pension he receives from the state, which is not enough for rent and basic needs. Pregnant Ayşenur Yıldırım, in tears, said they were left helpless.

Nurhan Alagöz, who opened her doors to the couple, stated that the family had no place to stay and no belongings, adding, "We need to look after this family."

The landlord at the center of the allegations, M.Y., denied the accusations. M.Y. claimed that there was no demolition order regarding the house in question, and that the couple had been living in the same house for about 1.5 years but had only paid rent for 3 months during that time.

Claiming that electricity bills were also unpaid in addition to the accumulated rent debt, M.Y. noted that the electricity was cut off for this reason. Claiming that the family left the house of their own volition during the night following a phone call regarding a new subscription process, M.Y. argued that the claim of forced eviction did not reflect the truth.

Emrah Yıldırım stated that he had reported the process they went through to the Bolu Governorship and that they were waiting for support from the authorities.