Temp accommodation unsafe - baby overheating - what can I do

[yoghurttops]

I’ve been renting for years, but after my landlord decided to sell a year ago, I was evicted and just can’t afford anything on the private market.

We have a baby, and so received help from the council. Me and my partner do work, but we have been looking for better paying jobs for almost 2 years now.

The council have put us in temp housing, it’s on the 20th floor and the heat is absolutely awful! The aircon/heating system is controlled centrally and so I have zero control over it. The flat feels like an oven and the windows all have a plastic barrier with about 3mm gaps which let air in, but it’s just not enough. We get zero fresh air.

My baby has overheated about 3 times in this hot weather - once he was sick and threw everything up - the other times he is drowsy. In the past we have had to take him to A&E for not waking up without a prick from the nurse.

I don’t know what to do - who to complain to. My housing officer won’t help and doesn’t answer my emails and I am on stage 2 of a formal complaint via the housing ombudsman but the responses take weeks!

The building has negative reviews on Google and Housing websites - the lifts never work, it’s too hot and I am so so scared for my babies health. I can’t believe people are housed here.

Why can I do - I so wish I could afford to privately rent.

I saw that it is illegal to not live in the council flat - I want to stay with a friend for a while, at least until the weather cools down.

AIBU to leave the flat for a while - what do I need to do? Get council permission first? Can I ask them to move me on health grounds?

I work in the Midlands and I work with a few Londoners. Most have their extended families move up after a while as the standard of living is so much higher than they had in London.

One colleague had moved from a one bedroomed flat to a three bedroomed semi with a garden and can’t get over how much space she has.

It’s been over a year and the property has made the news … for anyone who is curious

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/air-conditioning-homeless-families-britannia-point-colliers-wood-b1291688.html

https://www.mylondon.news/news/south-london-news/residents-being-moved-out-oven-34384964.amp

Plus many more resources

When I saw this on the news I immediately thought about this thread!

Op in a situation like this I would contact as many people as possible so local MP ,local papers ; national papers ( the guardian reported on children hospitalised due to heat and air con issue recently ) the council leaders ,tweet , get a doctor's letter get a thermometer so you can actually see the room temps and so on. In other words kick up a storm

Omg opp I've just seen this was an old thread this is terrible.

With all this new building going on they nust have proper air con and blinds outside etc. ..

I knew I wasn’t going mad. And it’s crazy that so many other tenants have been suffering with this in the building, but I just didn’t know. I thought I should just be grateful to have a roof over my head.

There are also private tenants that rent here and they were all given eviction letters just before the section 21 ban kicked in.

Nobody should live here.

This place is scandal after scandal and I do not know when they will realise it’s not safe for anyone.

On my side I have been complaining for 2 years. So glad it’s in the press. Let’s see if there will be action.

Its a hard one i think. Its not right for your child but as harsh as that sounds it is on you as patents to provide for your child not expect the state too. Get better jobs/ more hours so you can get better living accommodation, dont get something for free and then complain its mit up to your standard.

Holy heck that is inhumane.

I did notice that you mentioned a humidifier early on. This is the exact opposite of what you want. Humidity during heat makes things worse. If anything, you want a dehumidifier.

Instead of complaining for 2 years, perhaps you could have channelled that energy into getting yourselves together and moving to an area you can actually afford without being carried by your local council?

Ive been following this and shared it on the heatwave support thread.

Is anyone "working closely" with you to get you moved out like they said in the article? I really hope you find somewhere soon. It sounds a total nightmare.

Its not free and if you read the Evening Standard two children were hospitalised The ones who should think themselves damn lucky are the owners who could have ended up facing a corporate manslaughter charge! But its obvious from some of the comments here that they arent the only ones who see the lives of SH tenants and their children as worthless

So this article seems to suggest that the air-conditioning is working

Is it? I know some places operate on the centrally controlled thing so if one person isn't working, then everyone's isn't working

looks like it's made of glass, but acrylic will be the same in terms of keeping in heat in it

Is it one of those blocks that's all rented?

Well I was doing all of that.

Then s* happened. My private landlord wanted his house back, the same year my baby was due - by the time we went out to the market the rent prices had trippled and would have taken up most of our household income. So we went to the council for help.

Was made redundant. Managed to get a part time job (did so many interviews and got this one). Still job hunting 3 year later and I can’t seem to get past the interview stage. With feedback being you were great and we loved what you contributed but we’ve found someone else with better skills.

Im still applying for jobs by the way. Partner is a key worker and we all know what’s happening there. Struggling teachers and nurses are not uncommon. Yet they are doing a service for everyone else. Partner is looking to leave the public sector and has also had a hard time getting past interview stage for higher salary jobs but not getting them. We are part of so many crisis.

I have spent 10 years prior climbing up the career ladder so my CV isn’t the issue and Ive worked hard. Covid wasn’t a great time work wise.

but maybe I’ve been unfortunate. Compared to my friends who have managed to buy a house, my family don’t have money and can’t help with a deposit as many of my friends have had help. There are a few that picked careers in tech or banking or something that pays over £100k.

Im sharing this to highlight that for some of us the turn in the economy has been detrimental. I’ve gone from renting, working and having a comfortable life and being independent, to the complete opposite.

Like I said, I’m grateful. But it’s dire for some of us that live average lives. Or maybe below avengers lives.

I have been able to do both.

Complaining and sending an email every 6 months or so, doesn’t mean that I’ve let my guard down on the rest of my life.

I work, volunteer and raise my child. My income is just rubbish. If you have any jobs going let me know 😊

And we do pay rent and bills and council tax etc.

OP, anyone who can read of a baby suffering in these conditions and respond with such a comment is not the sort of person you need to be engaging with. They clearly lack the intelligence, emotional or otherwise to contribute.
I'd advise you to get take photographs of the room temp, the windows, the out of order lifts etc. Then go and stay with your friend.
From there gather your medical evidence of your child's hospital visits. Contact your health visitor for 'advice' (another record of the situation) involve your local Councillor and MP. Send them the evidence.
Contact Shelter and/or Citizens Advice for further advice. They may agree to advocate.
If your partner is a key worker, is there an employee welfare/advice scheme he could contact for additional support and advocacy? These schemes exist to facilitate people doing their jobs and are often helpful in supporting with social and welfare needs.
Be polite and professional with everyone at all times but very persistent. If you are ignored, complain through the formal procedure.
I hope things pick up for you soon.

Sounds like you've had a rough few years- we had similar, house sold under us, dh redundant etc im a teacher so totally understand your dh. But you have to do something more if you have children. Move north, retrain, do night shifts somewhere. Prioritise finances as this is unfortunately what will help your child, try to be as independent as possible- you both sound like you have potential. If dh is a qualified teacher can he add SEND skills to look for a higher paying job? What MPS is he?
What jobs are ypu looking for? Do ypu have childcare if/when you need it- family?

could you move further away where housing is cheaper. I’m guessing you are in London as tall tower blocks aren’t common elsewhere. If you don’t earn well in your job field, earning the same salary goes further in cheaper areas, same for professions like teaching, medical careers etc, you are simply better off in some parts of the country. Where my friend lives you can buy for under £100k so a teacher is able to buy alone

Thanks @5128gap we are doing half of what you said, and we will look into the other areas you mentioned such as health visitor (they haven’t been that helpful because we’ve been moved so much we actually lost access to a HV as they go by postcode) and will get work and other parties involved.

@Jinglejinglejingle7 me and my partner wonder how we got here, but we are determined to get out. We are also paying off debts which affect how much we are left with, but we want to be independent.

@minnienono agree. We are open to moving and keep discussing it. Family is what’s really keeping us in London and they have meant that I can work, go to training and networking events etc.