Leonard Barden

Leonard Barden needs your help.

I have been lodging in a house in Sydenham, South London, for the past ten years. A few weeks ago my landlord told me that he was selling up due to mortgage problems and that I would have to leave by the end of this month, ie by 31 December.

I have been looking for somewhere else, but so far without success. I have been paying £100 a week, but most advertised rooms are much more expensive than that. Even more of a disadvantage is that nobody wants a tenant in his eighties. I have applied to Lewisham council, but it is unclear whether that will produce a result and even if it does the bureaucratic wheels grind slowly. I even tried the local chess club to see if anyone would put me up, but no luck.

Hence this approach to Forum members. My needs are rather modest, basically a table and chair to work, a place fairly close to public transport and shops as I don't have a car, within the area covered by a Freedom Pass and ideally within reasonable travel distance of London Bridge where I have to go at weekends. I can pay up to around £100 a week, and as an extra would be available for chess training games/analysis/coaching if desired, though this is entirely optional.

If anyone has a suggestion, please send me a pm or alternatively email me at Leonard.Barden@guardian.co.uk. Even an offer of a camp bed on somebody's floor for a few weeks might make the difference, although naturally I'd prefer the option of a longer period.

If you can help, please contact Leonard. If you can't, please distribute in the general direction of other people, in case they can.