June 29th 2024.
Next on the agenda is a heart-wrenching story of a mother-of-two who has been living in a house in north London that is infested with mice and has been flooded with sewage for a whole year. Candice, 33, has been struggling to find a permanent home for her family after being forced to move between various hotels for almost two years. In a desperate plea to Haringey Council, she begged to be allowed to move into the house before the renovation works were completed. However, little did she know that the state of the house would be so unbearable that it would force her family to wish they were back in the hotels, despite the lack of privacy.
Candice did not hold back as she shared her story with The Agency, stating that they were literally living in filth. She revealed that their pet dog had died after ingesting contaminated water, her daughter had been subjected to bullying, and her family was struggling to survive in a house that was not fit for human habitation. Despite making multiple calls and sending numerous emails to the council for help, Candice claims that she has not received a response in over a year.
In response to Candice's claims, Haringey Council stated that they had sent workers to address a leaking roof and a plumbing issue in January and May this year, which Candice confirmed. However, upon visiting the house, it was evident that these problems were still not fixed. The stench that greets you as you enter the house is overwhelming, and the front door is next to a broken pane of glass covered with a wooden board. The kitchen ceiling has a constant drip of water, and Candice has resorted to using an umbrella whenever she enters the room. The bathroom leaks contaminated water into the kitchen, where Candice has given up and surrendered the pots and pans in the sink and a pizza in the oven. She even uses an umbrella in the flooded room, and her family has stopped using the kitchen altogether, opting to order ready-made meals instead.
Candice expressed her frustration at the situation, stating that even when she washes the dishes and kitchenware, the smell still lingers. The family has been forced to use a laundrette instead of their washing machine, which is banished to a back room due to the flooding. The smell is even worse in the conservatory, which has been sealed off with cardboard and a mattress in an attempt to keep the odour contained. Despite the heaters not working, the room feels warm and humid, with brown water pooling on the floor that smells like it's straight from a sewer.
Candice shared that they can't even take a bath in the house, and they have to use the shower quickly, as they believe the water is contaminated. She showed The Agency a video in which a mouse can be heard "singing" as loud as day, which she had to endure all night. The family has resorted to scattering powder and setting rat traps around the house to keep the mice and ants away. In her son's room, the ceiling leaks every time it rains, and the 15-year-old has had to move his bed multiple times to avoid getting wet. The family has reached a breaking point, with Candice's daughter being bullied at school because of their living situation, and her son is too embarrassed to invite friends over. Their three-year-old dog passed away after ingesting the contaminated water in the house, and Candice believes that her relationship with her children has suffered as a result.
Despite their desperate situation, the family has not received any help from Haringey Council, even after reaching out to multiple people, including the CEO and housing manager. Candice has even contacted a solicitor, but they have not received a response from the council. However, since The Agency raised Candice's concerns, a repair worker has visited the house this week. In response to the situation, a spokesperson for Haringey Council stated that they are aware of the issue and are working to resolve it. They also clarified that the responsibility for some repairs lies with the property owner, and they will be chasing them up on it. They have also agreed to conduct a drone survey to assess the damage to the roof.
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