A BUSINESSMAN who was facing life on the streets has won a legal battle to stay in him Bolton at Home property.

Dad-of-three Joseph Campbell had been told he would have to leave his Daubhill home after building up close to £2,000 in rent arrears.

But after successfully persuading a judge at Bolton County Court that he will get back on track with his repayments — he has been told that he can stay in his home of 12 years.

The dad-of-three first got into financial difficulties when his printing firm went out of business.

He then fell behind on his rent because his benefit payments were delayed during the roll-out of the Government’s Universal Credit scheme.

He said his personal situation became even more difficult when he and his partner suffered the devastating loss of their new-born baby last year.

Tragedy-hit businessman preparing for life on streets as eviction looms from Bolton at Home property in Daubhill

But a judge has now agreed that he can remain in the property, in Varley Road, providing he keeps up with his rent and regularly pays an amount off his debts.

Bolton at Home said it never wants to evict a tenant and said staff had tried to engage with the 53-year-old but had not received a commitment that he would pay the rent due.

Mr Campbell said: “Obviously I am very relieved that I will not have to leave my house and now I just want to get on with my life and get back into employment.

“Facing up to the prospect of being homeless is not pleasant and I wouldn’t wish it upon anyone.

“But I hope this can perhaps show people that you can fight these things — I am a very principled person and I was confident that I would get the result, but you can’t be 100 per cent sure.

“My advice would be to tell people who do get into difficulties that they need to keep every single scrap of paper work and also to not just accept what these housing companies say but to challenge them on it.”

A spokesman for Bolton at Home said: “It would never be our intention to evict any tenant if a particular set circumstances led them to falling into arrears.

“What we do insist on is that where it happens the tenant engages with us and makes a firm commitment to pay the rent due, with additional regular payments that will lead them to clearing their debt.

"In this instance we were unable to secure such a commitment and had little alternative but to continue with possession proceedings.

“Mr Campbell has now given an undertaking to the court that he’ll pay the rent plus an amount off his arrears and the judge agreed to his payment proposal.

“We don’t want to see people lose their homes. Instead, we ask that tenants engage early with our debt and money advice service so we can look at various ways to resolve financial pressures together and avoid possession proceedings.”

Mr Campbell said he is now working to start up his business again and will also be fundraising for charities which support families who have lost a child.