A mum-of-four says she has been forced to live in a hotel for 10 weeks after a sewage spill drove her out of her council flat.
Lauren Woodward, 25, says she is at the "end of my tether" 10 weeks after fleeing her home in Bartley Green, Birmingham, two days before Christmas last year.
The young mum - whose flat is above a chip shop - says she fled when dirty water started gushing from her bathroom taps, Birmingham Live reports.
The sewage issue started on December 23 - just two days before she planned to spend Christmas with her children - who are aged between one and four.
Lauren spent time living with family and friends over the Christmas period and has since been living in a hotel with her kids while she waits for the repairs to be carried out.
However, Lauren claims Birmingham City Council has not yet completed the works.
A tearful Lauren told BirminghamLive: "I really can't take much more - I am at the end of my tether.
"I accepted that the work wouldn't be carried out over the Christmas period and that I would have to move out for a couple of weeks to stay with family and friends while repairs were made.
"But more than two months later we are still waiting to move back into my flat.
"I have made countless calls to Birmingham City Council but I just don't seem to be getting anywhere.
"It is just not fair expecting someone to put up with this. The water is disgusting and the leak is now attracting rats to the roof.
"I can't live in a hotel with my kids for much longer. Enough is enough. No one should be expected to put up living like this."
Birmingham City Council said: "We apologise for any distress that problems with the property have caused to the tenant and their family.
"We are aware that the tenant has made a number of complaints but on occasion, we have had difficulty getting access to the property.
"A plumber attended earlier this week to check the water quality. They advised it is free from contaminants and no sewage is present.
"We have also had an emergency raised from the property for a ‘secure property engineer’ to visit it and attend due to a broken door.
"This was secured at the request of the tenant or their partner.
"The problem with the drainage was identified as it being blocked with baby wipes.
"Two paving slabs need to be re-laid following the drainage works, this will be completed this week weather permitting.
"There was also an outstanding job for glazing to a bedroom window – this was made safe previously and completed this week.
"A pest control officer visited the property this week following a complaint of rats but was refused access.
"While works were continuing we arranged for temporary accommodation for the tenant as repairs were ongoing to the flat and will work with them to ensure that all the issues are resolved."
Lauren has disputed some of the council's statements saying she was only offered temporary housing last week.
She also says she didn't refuse the pest control officer access to the property and the outstanding job was for a kitchen window and not a bedroom one.
