The family of a vulnerable woman who was found dead in her flat, after laying there for more than three years, raised concerns about her welfare nearly two months before her body was discovered, an inquest has heard.
The body of Laura Winham was discovered in her Woking, Surrey flat by her brother in May 2021. Ms Winham, 41 at the time of her discovery, was found after her relatives asked authorities to forcibly enter her house because they were concerned for her safety.
The family previously claimed she was “abandoned and left to die” by social and mental health services and she passed away in November 2017, three-and-a-half years prior to her body being found.
An inquest into her death started at Surrey Coroner’s Court on Tuesday, and heard Ms Winham’s family had reached out to Woking Borough Council (WBC) two months before her body was found and a subsequent door knock at her home went unanswered, reports Wales Online.
A statement from a former employee at New Vision Homes, the landlord contractor for WBC from 2015 to April 2022, stated: “Ms Winham’s sister (reached out) on March 31, 2021, to ask if New Vision Homes had been in contact with her. Her family said a lot of post had gathered and they were concerned about her welfare.
“Woking Borough Council completed a door knock which received no answer. It was at the end of May that New Vision Homes were told she had been found dead.”
The statement further highlighted it was “clear she was vulnerable” and “she should have been flagged as vulnerable as this would have alerted New Vision Homes and WBC to her vulnerability”. The inquest heard authorities had made numerous attempts to contact Ms Winham before her body was found.
TSG, a gas company, contacted her in November 2018 for an annual gas check that was supposed to happen on December 6, 2018, but she didn’t respond. Before the business turned off her gas supply in January 2019, several attempts were made to contact her via phone and mail.
It was revealed in court by a statement read out that this policy has since been revised after the borough council took housing functions back in-house in April 2022.
It stated: “Since bringing housing function back in-house strict measures have been put in place. Home visits, calls and contacting next of kin to assist the situation. New process ensures injunctions can be sought to gain access to homes.”
The council conducted a visit to her home to inquire if she had been disturbed by large groups congregating in communal areas outside her flat in March 2021. They knocked on the door and received no answer, ultimately resulting in “no further reports on this issue”.
The sister of Ms Winham, Nicky, previously spoke about how the family had lost contact with her due to years of schizophrenia making her believe they intended to harm her. Ms Winham was served an eviction notice in April 2014 after accumulating rent arrears of £1,579, the court heard.
A housing support officer at WBC stepped in and expressed concerns about her vulnerability. Ms Winham was urged to apply for housing benefits, seek employment, engage with the community and visit her GP.
Her rent arrears were subsequently covered by a third party, preventing the eviction. The inquest continues.
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