A mum-of-two left living in a flat plagued by black mould said she is worried her children will become ill due to the 'squalid' conditions.
Solicitor Zineb Boulefa, 31, lives with her daughter, 7, and son, 5, at a flat in Hindle House in Arcola Street in Hackney and claims she has battled mould, damp, floods of sewage, and cracked walls with little help from her landlord Southern Housing.
She said: "As a mother, I have been sick of the mould and damp in my home for far too long. It's not just me who is suffering but also my children who have to live with the consequences of this unhealthy living environment every day. I decided to speak up about it because enough is enough."
It comes only six months after Southern Housing promised to clean up its act after the Housing Ombudsman blasted it for two severe failures in relation to another tenant living in East London, reports MyLondon.
The social landlord was ordered to cough up over a grand in compensation after repeatedly failing to fix a different mould ridden home for more than half a decade.
Now mum Zineb claims she's not the only one on the estate with issues, and 'despite numerous complaints and promises from the authorities nothing seems to have been done to fix these problems permanently'.
She accused Southern Housing of 'negligence' and said the mould was a particular concern as it poses health risk for her family.
Zineb also accused Southern Housing of failing to turn up for a scheduled mould inspection on Monday (March 13), what she says is their third since November.
"I am extremely dissatisfied with their lack of follow-through and communication. This situation is unacceptable, and I hope they will respond to my email explaining why they did not show up for the appointment," she added.
Other residents on the block - who preferred to stay anonymous - also shared their worries. One told MyLondon: "It's frustrating that we have been ignored for so long, and it feels like no one cares about our wellbeing."
Another added: "We pay rent every month, but we don't see any improvement in the condition of our homes."
Zineb said she had taken to using harsh chemicals in her constant war against the mould which is on the walls, floors, furniture and kitchen cabinets. She claims she also has to deal with blocked drains that she says sometimes cause sewage to flood into the flat.
She described the situation as "demoralising and depressing" and called on housing associations to "take responsibility for the well-being of their tenants rather than prioritising profit margins".
A Southern Housing spokesperson said: "Our surveyor has carried out an inspection of the home today (Wednesday, March 15). They’ll be looking for the underlying causes of the issues raised, will identify any outstanding repairs and will come up with a plan to resolve this.
"We'll work together with Ms Boulefa to complete any actions as quickly as we can, ensuring she receives regular communication throughout. Our contractors attended all drainage issues when raised and we would urge residents to report any further problems to us immediately.
"We’re sorry for the delays in dealing with the damp and mould issues raised by Ms Boulefa. Our residents needs are extremely important to us and we remain committed to doing all we can to support Ms Boulefa and her family."
