MailOnline has revealed that the ‘heartless’ landlord who kicked out a family of nine who fled their war-torn home for Britain after only one month is a Royal Navy officer.
Maxim Hyryk and his wife Olga are perplexed by their hosts’ decision to kick them out of their two-bedroom bungalow in Fareham, Hampshire, with no explanation.
So far, the couple and their five young children have raised £5,745 through a JustGiving page set up to help them pay for their new home.
Maxim, speaking to MailOnline, said: ‘Of course we are a little bit angry, but also very upset that they could do this. Kelly and her husband were so welcoming and made us feel this was a place where we could stay.
‘Then, they just stopped talking to us and we had the letter telling us we are being evicted. We have until July 15. They also cut off the internet so that makes it difficult for us to email and communicate. The landlord is being heartless.
‘My family is very settled here with the schools, and it just means more upheaval.
‘If we can’t stay in his house we really want to stay in Fareham. It is where we can start our lives again. There will be no going back to Ukraine.’
MailOnline has now reveal that their landlord, Dudley Malster, is a married senior officer in the navy with two young children and a 20-year military career.
Mr Malster, 40, is assigned to the UK’s High Readiness Maritime Force and is based at the Navy’s headquarters in Portsmouth. He has served in Afghanistan, Bahrain, and spent a year on secondment with the Canadian military, according to his LinkedIn profile.
He has served as a warfare officer on several Type 23 Frigates, including HMS Northumberland and HMS Argyll, and has participated in Caribbean anti-drug operations. His work history also includes assisting the royal family on overseas tours.
Mr. Malster and his wife Kelly, both 46, live next door to the family to whom they provided shelter as part of the government’s resettlement program.
Kelly’s father, Norman Duckett, owned the property before his death last year.
Maxim said the couple couldn’t have been nicer hosts when they arrived in Fareham, Hampshire, after spending two months in Poland.
He described their hosts as welcoming, warm, and friendly as they settled into their new life. Kelly, 46, met the family at Stansted Airport and made them feel right at home.
But, three weeks ago, without warning, Kelly and her husband cut off contact, and Hampshire County Council told the family they had to leave.
This was followed by a letter from the landlord’s solicitor on June 15 informing them that they had to vacate by July 15.
Their internet access was immediately disconnected, and the family is now forced to turn to fundraising to find another place to live.
Hampshire County Council has informed the family that they are looking for a new home for them, but Maxim has been told that they may end up in a hotel, far from the schools their children attend.
‘I contacted five local estate agents and when I told them we were a family of nine from Ukraine they just said ‘ no’ and put down the phone.
‘Private landlords want six months’ rent in advance before they will even consider us. I am hoping we can reach our target and that will give us a chance to at least try to get our own place.
‘I just want to get some stability and normality for my family.
‘They have been through so much. In Poland we were in hotels for two months and did not have a good experience although all the people were so friendly and helpful.
‘It is the same here. The British people have been so welcoming and the neighbours here all want to help.’
More than £5,000 of the £12,500 target on the crowdfunding page has been reached.
‘The people are being so generous and I just want to thank them,’ said Maxim, who worked in finance in Kyiv.
‘I would love to get a job so that I can fully support my family.’
Neighbours of the refugees said they were shocked to learn about the eviction.
One said:’ The Malsters are a lovely family and have gone out of their way to get a family from Ukraine. It just does not make any sense why they would want them out after a few weeks.
‘They have not talked to anyone about it or given a reason which makes it all the more strange.’
The Malsters were not at their semi-detached home and did not return calls.
A spokesman for a firm of solicitors who issued the eviction notice to the family had no comment.
‘There is no one available to comment,’ said a spokesman for Southampton based Trethowans.