All I Want For Christmas Is A Safe Clean Home
‘The condition of this house is impossible. The first word that comes to mind is misery’.
For nearly 2 years, our member X has been telling Homes for Haringey that her temporary accommodation was unbearable. The council themselves have finally agreed that her living conditions are unsuitable, yet she and her family are still waiting to be rehoused.
On Monday 14th December, we’re asking you to join us in telling Homes for Haringey that she should be moved to suitable temporary accommodation before Christmas.
Between 9am and 5pm on Monday, please tweet @homes4haringey using the hashtags #AllIWantForChristmasIsASafeCleanHome or #ChristmasJoyNotChristmasFear.
Here’s one sample tweet, but please feel free to make up your own.
‘When will you rehouse @HaringeyHousing’s member X, @homes4haringey? Her children need #ChristmasJoyNotChristmasFear’
If you would like to include a photo of yourself with a sign supporting our member, please do!
Read on to learn more about X’s story (contains a photo of rats)
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No-one should have to live this way, but when we met X in April 2020, she and her family had already been stuck in unsuitable and unsafe temporary accommodation for over a year. Throughout this time, Homes for Haringey ignored her complaints.
‘After I told them what I was living with in the house, it was like sabotage, they don’t care. I started by calling them. When they ignored my calls, I started going to their office in person. Every time I talked to one of the council staff, it left me in tears, but it still didn’t change anything. I even tried emailing my MP, who contacted Homes for Haringey, but they still did nothing.’
After we first met X, we posted this on our Twitter account on May 4th
Family with 5 young children stuck in overcrowded temp accom during #lockdown with damp, mould, rats. No space for fridge in kitchen, broken toilet. X first complained 1+ year ago. If @homes4haringey couldn’t repair before lockdown, @haringeycouncil must rehouse the family now.
We also shared these pictures of the appalling conditions X was being forced to live in.
(Image descriptions: photograph of a large rat running down a wall; photograph of a toilet wall covered with black mould.)
At the same time, we supported X to open a legal review of the suitability. However, this process takes months, leaving the family trapped in these conditions throughout the first lockdown.
After no action from Homes for Haringey, we publicised the situation again on June 29th, but again Homes for Haringey did nothing.
8 weeks later no change. Toilet flushes with bucket, leaks dirty water. Smells so bad kids can’t eat in living room. @haringeycouncil pest control told X to call when she saw rats, but don’t answer phone. Unliveable any time, unbearable during CV-19. @homes4haringey, rehouse now!
A month later, in July, X had heard nothing more, so we tweeted Homes for Haringey every day for a week. In our first tweet, X’s son shared this message for the council, but they still failed to act.
(Image description: Screenshot message saying ‘My name is x and I am x years old and I live with my mom and dad with two sisters and two brothers I live in a bad condition the humidity is outrageous especially when you are taking a bath it’s ruining are skin we are suffering with rats in house they are running on our food I see them every day even in are bedroom the toilet is an absolute disgrace I wouldn’t let one of my friends enter our house as it’s shameful and the smell of house it’s unbelievable it’s so stinky I am so tired of the condition so please help us.)
On September 4th we shared this video of the flooding in X’s bathroom. This has still not been repaired!
(Image description: heavily flooded bathroom floor being mopped. Water drips from the mop as it is lifted into the bucket. You can see mould on the wall behind the sink.)
‘After everything I did, calling the council, going to the MP, all the support from the tweets, still nothing’
After all these months, X finally got a decision on her legal case on November 12th. The council agreed that the property was unsuitable, just like she’d been telling them all along. But another month later, they still haven’t moved the family.
Please tweet @homes4haringey on Monday 14th and tell them to rehouse X! #AllIWantForChristmasIsASafeCleanHome #ChristmasJoyNotChristmasFear
December 12, 2020
Tags: disrepair, haringey council, temporary accommodation Posted in: HHAG ACTIONS