The ‘heartless’ landlord who kicks out a family of nine who fled Britain after just a month from their war-torn home is a Royal Navy officer and his wife, MailOnline can reveal.
Maxim Hyryk and his wife, Olga, say they are stunned by their hosts’ decision to force them out of the two-bedroom bungalow in Fareham, Hampshire – with no explanation as to why.
So far, the couple and their five young children have raised £ 5,745 after setting up a JustGiving page to help them pay for their new accommodation.
Maxim spoke exclusively to MailOnline and said: ‘Of course we are a little angry, but also very upset that they could do it. Kelly and her husband were so friendly and made us feel like this is a place we can stay.
“Then they just stopped talking to us and we got the letter telling us we were being evicted. We have until July 15th. They have also cut off the internet making it difficult for us to email and communicate. The landlord is heartless.
‘My family is very established here with the schools, and that just means more revolution.
“If we can not stay in his house, we really want to stay in Fareham. This is where we can start our lives again. There will be no return to Ukraine. ‘
Now MailOnline can reveal that their landlord Dudley Malster is a married senior officer in the Navy who has two young children and has enjoyed a 20-year career in the military.
Landlord Dudley Malster is a married senior officer in the Navy with a 20-year military career
Maxim (36) and wife Olga Hyryk fled from Kiev to Fareham with children and elderly parents
The family found a bungalow in Fareham, Hants, next to their host neighbors
The eviction notice received by the Hyryk family was from lawyers acting for the Malsters
Based at the Navy’s headquarters in Portsmouth, Mr. Malster, 40, joined the UK’s High Readiness Maritime Force after serving in Afghanistan, Bahrain and spending a year on secondment with the Canadian military, according to his LinkedIn profile.
He was a war officer on several types of 23 frigates, including HMS Northumberland and HMS Argyll, and participated in anti-drug operations in the Caribbean. And his work experience includes supporting the royal family on overseas tours.
Mr. Malster and his wife Kelly, 46, live next to the family they provided shelter with under the government’s resettlement program.
The property was previously owned by Kelly’s father, Norman Duckett, before he died last year.
Maxim said the couple, who have two children aged nine and five, could not have been friendlier hosts when they arrived in Fareham, Hampshire, after spending two months in Poland.
He said their hosts were warm, inviting and friendly when they settled into their new life. Kelly, 46, picked up the family at Stansted Airport and made them feel at home.
But three weeks ago and without any warning, Kelly and her husband broke off contact and the family was told by Hampshire County Council that they had to move out.
This was followed by a letter on June 15 from the landlord’s lawyer telling them to leave by July 15.
The bungalow where the family of nine from Ukraine currently lives but faces eviction
Hanna (69) was among the family and must now also get a new home after the eviction notice
Maxim, 36, and wife Olga Hyryk fled Kiev with children and elderly parents last month
The family’s desperation has meant that they now have to raise funds to try to get rent together.
Their internet access was immediately turned off and now the family has been forced to turn to fundraising to stay somewhere else.
Hampshire County Council has told the family they are looking for a new home for them – but Maxim has been told they could end up in a hotel and thousands of schools that the children enjoy so much.
“I contacted five local real estate agents and when I told them we were a family of nine from Ukraine, they just said ‘no’ and hung up the phone.
‘Private landlords want six months’ rent in advance before they will consider us first. I hope we can reach our target and it will give us a chance to at least try to find our own place.
‘I just want to get some stability and normalcy for my family.
“They’ve been through so much. In Poland we were in hotels for two months and did not have a good experience even though all the people were so friendly and helpful.
‘It’s the same here. The British people were so friendly and the neighbors here all want to help. ‘
More than £ 5,000 of the £ 12,500 target on the crowdfunding page has been reached.
“The people are so generous and I just want to thank them,” said Maxim, who worked in finance in Kiev.
“I would love to get a job so I can fully support my family.”
Neighbors of the refugees said they were shocked to hear of the eviction.
One said: ‘The Malsters are a sweet family and went out of their way to get a family out of Ukraine. It just does not make sense why they want them after a few weeks.
“They did not talk to anyone about it or give a reason that makes it all the more strange.”
The Malsters were not at their semi-detached house and did not call back.
A spokesman for a law firm that issued the eviction notice to the family did not comment.
“There is no one available to comment,” said a spokesman for Trethowans in Southampton.
The family has set up a JustGiving page to raise money to pay for some new accommodation. Click to donate HERE