Hanna Tokkie and her son's girlfriend Jennifer relax at home

Not one member of the communications department was available to explain why the Tokkies are still waiting for a home some seven months later.

The company's spokespeople for the issue were all on holiday, not expected back until 16 August and no one from management was prepared to answer questions either. It appears only receptionists were on duty.

Time to call the Amsterdam Council.

This time, a spokesperson said that negotiations are still continuing between the district council, future neighbours and the Tokkies in a bid to find them suitable housing.

The spokesperson did not deny that the family had been forced to live with relatives and friends since being evicted. There was no argument either to claims that they had even been forced to live on the street at times.

So what was being done about?

"It is being worked on".

What is?

"To find an appropriate house."

How long will it take? Can you give a date?

"I can't say when."

Where will they live?

"I don't know where they must live."

The only piece of useful information the spokesperson could give was to agree that that the Tokkies represented a very unusual case.

The Tokkies are not the only problem families that Amsterdam authorities have had to contend to, but how did their fate degenerate so far?

The answer lies in a row the Tokkies had with their Amsterdam neighbours — a row that has reportedly raged for some 20 years. It got so out of hand last summer that family members on both sides fought each other with baseball bats.

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