Unsafe council housing

[cookiesandcream22]

Hi all, I'm in a bit of a situation.

Currently in temporary accommodation from Wandsworth council - they've put me and my 8yr old son in Peckham (from Southfields area originally). I was helped by the council due to DV from my ex. I'm currently band B.

It's a studio flat, which is fine, I'm very grateful to have a roof over our heads, but the location is far from my son's school as well as my workplace. I wouldn't care about the commute if it was just me but my son is actually exhausted. We are leaving the flat at 6.45am to make it to his school for breakfast club (which he has to attend as I need to make it to work for 9am), and returning about 7.30-8pm. By the time dinner is done and I've got him ready for bed its around 10pm, and he's up again 6am.

I cannot change his schools as my parents live in Putney and help me with after school pick ups. If I change his school to closer to my TA I'd have to be unemployed so I could do the school run myself.

There is a club/lounge downstairs that plays music very loud making my entire flat vibrate. This has been the cause of many sleepless nights for us both.

Also the building in no way meets fire safety standards, and most of the residents smoke (cigarettes + harder substances), and the fact that we have no fire doors really worries me as if something did catch fire it would spread very fast! It is also rife with antisocial and violent behavior, and I often worry about my son's safety as well as mine.

I've expressed my concerns to the council but was met with a very standard response of "we have forwarded your concerns to the property management" - who btw do NOTHING...not even answer the phone!

I'm not sure exactly what I'm asking you guys...but how do I ask to be moved closer to Wandsworth?

I don’t have any useful advice but I know the waiting list for Wandsworth is enormous
Last year, a tower block in Battersea caught fire and 8 families were made homeless due to the fire damage

They were offered temporary accommodation in Luton, at one point, because nothing could be found closer.
They ended up in a premier inn for a while and had to stay with family, but even with the local MP getting involved daily, nothing could be found closer

several families were also too traumatised to move back into the flat after being trapped there due to smoke and needing to rescued by the fire service, and pleaded to be moved to anywhere else, and were again told no, it would be several years until something else came up

Is there any chance of staying with your parents, even a couple of nights a week?
or asking the council if they can do a deposit guarantee thing for a private landlord?

Thank you for replying. Oh wow that's crazy! I thought after Grenfell things would change but clearly not. My parents do let me stay a couple nights a week but I have to sleep on the living room floor. I work in healthcare so it completely destroys my back for the next shift.

I'm hesitant to do private housing as my last THREE decided to give me notice as they wanted to sell property within 1-3 years of staying there...just my luck! The continuous upheaval is just exhausting...

If you can continue to stay at your parents would it be more comfortable on a camp bed. Can your dv worker help find you somewhere a bit closer to school and work. If you can privately rent are you eligible for key worker or onsite staff accommodation. Do you work for the nhs in a hospital.

They literally have no space to store a camp bed unfortunately. My son shares a single bed with my sister when we stay there.

I'm not eligible for keyworker accom unfortunately as I am in dental nhs...my caseworker is one I have for the housing situation but she very very rarely answers phone or emails.

I bought a camping bed for £15 recently that folds up and fits into a carry bag.

I'll definitely look into camp beds for the nights I'm there.

If anyone has any other suggestions on how I can ask them to move me closer to Wandsworth I'd be very grateful!