"Today is eviction day and we don't have anywhere to go."

A Waikato couple and their five children have nowhere to live despite spending three months trying to find a suitable property.

Tania McCaskill and husband James Hemi, who have custody of a profoundly deaf niece and four grandchildren, have lived in their rental home in Awaiti, near Paeroa, for five years. Both have full-time jobs.

"Today is eviction day and we don't have anywhere to go," McCaskill said through choked-back tears.

GEORGE HEARD/FAIRFAX NZ Tania McCaskill and husband James Hemi have packed their boxes after being evicted from their home, but have nowhere to go.

Ninety days ago, their home's owner decided to renovate the house and the family received an eviction notice. Since then, McCaskill and Hemi have looked for houses in Thames, Paeroa, Ngatea, Thames coast, rural Hauraki, Waihi, Te Aroha, Morrinsville, Matamata and everywhere in-between. They've now taken two weeks off work to continue searching.

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"I've been mamae inside - heavy-hearted - but at the same time, I also have aroha for the people, the whānau that are left without a home that don't have a roof over their heads. And all the kids," McCaskill said.

Media coverage has shown numerous Auckland families are living in cars, garages and tents. Minister for Social Development Paula Bennett this week offered those homeless Aucklanders $5000 to move to the regions.

They might want to avoid Paeroa, where there is only one rental property available on Trade Me, the first a local real estate agent has seen in over a month.

"I'm just grateful that we barely have a roof over our heads still, today," McCaskill said.

"Many haven't."

A local land agent confirmed there haven't been any available rental properties in the area for weeks. The sole Trade Me rental in Hauraki has two bedrooms.

McCaskill and her family have two options: Stay in an already over-full garage at her brother's house or try to fit their family of seven in their seven-seater van. For now, they are sitting tight in the house until someone forces them to move out.

McCaskill is expecting police.

Decades of housewares and furniture line the walls. Framed family pictures are sitting in boxes on the floor and DVDs of the kids' sports games and birthdays are piled beside the TV.

The phone rings. It's another landlord turning them down for another house.

"There are houses available, but not for big families. People don't want big families in their houses, even though they have four bedrooms. They are just being selective," McCaskill said.

"But I feel hurt and I feel like there has been a lack of help and support. We've asked for an extension to give us a bit more time, but we still can't find a place.

"We just want a house, like the many others who are looking."

Hemi and McCaskill are doing their best to hide their worries from the children, who range in age from seven to 12.

"I feel like I'm failing them. I don't want it to be like this, I don't want them to carry this burden. No child should have to be put in a situation like this."

"We put a brave face on," said Hemi. "But when we close our doors, it's the time when we get our feelings together and not show that to the little ones. But inside, it's building up and biting you and eating you."

McCaskill only just keeps the tears back.

"I wish our government would do a lot more for people in situations like ourselves. It can happen to anybody," she said.

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