Related Articles
A family has been forced to leave their home after toilet water leaking into their kitchen led to their four-year-old daughter being hospitalised.
The Harrow family of six were left unable to cook in the house and had to survive on food vouchers from Morrisons and takeaway meals because of the disarray caused by the leak.
The three bedroom home is also covered in damp and mould as a result of the water and has led to family members becoming sick.
For more news and features about London directly to your inbox sign up to our newsletter here.
(Image: Taimur Ali)
Royal Mail worker Taimur Ali, 43, said: “We are living in such ghastly conditions, the toilet water is where we cook. It has been gushing down from the ceiling.
“You would be shocked to see it. I can not believe we live in these kinds of conditions in Harrow.”
The youngest child in the family, four-year-old Zaynab, was admitted to Northwick Park Hospital due to breathing difficulties as a result of dampness, mould and dirty toilet water leakages.
(Image: Taimur Ali)
Taimur and his wife Zalkha, 36, are also worried about the other three children. Eldest daughter Sadaf, 14, is austistic while his sons Turrab, 16, and Qasim, 14, has also been sick.
He added: “I can not take anymore, my son will get sick. He has suffered from asthma the past few years.”
The family were forced to turn the electricity off due to the water leakages and had to stop cooking altogether in the kitchen.
Have you had a housing problem? Let us know in the comments below.
Prior to moving into the home on Toorack Road in 2015, the family was in temporary accommodation for seven years.
Now the damage has become so bad they have left the property and are staying in a single room at Zalkha’s mother’s home.
Taimur added: “For the past two or three months we have been trying to contact our housing association. Every single person who could do something about it but then it fell silent.
(Image: Taimur Ali)
“I’m a key worker, I worked through the pandemic but when the time comes for help there’s nothing open for me. All the doors are shut for me.”
The family first noticed a leak in September but surveyors dismissed the damage. When the condition of the house got worse the housing agency Notting Hill Genesis stopped responding.
In the early hours of one October morning the ceiling of the kitchen collapsed.
(Image: Taimur Ali)
When approached by MyLondon Notting Hill Genesis said: “We are sorry for the inconvenience caused by this leak and that it has not been dealt with sooner.
“We have arranged for an operative to visit the property this evening (December 30). In the meantime, we have been in touch with the family to apologise and to offer them hotel accommodation should they need it while we fix the leak.”
MyLondon also reached out to Harrow Council.
Have a similar story? Get in touch at jacob.phillips@reachplc.com
Do you have a story? You can get in touch, in complete confidence if necessary, below:
Follow Jacob, or drop him a direct message, on Twitter here.
Follow his Facebook page here.
You can read more of his stories here.
Email him on jacob.phillips@reachplc.com.
Keep up to date with the latest breaking news here.
Like the MyLondon Facebook page and follow MyLondon on Twitter
