A family of thirteen, from Canning Town, faces dire living conditions in a council house overrun by black mould.
They have complained many times about the worst conditions that they faced to the council. However, the family's pleas for help seem to have fallen on deaf ears.
A family of thirteen faced the struggle of dire living conditions in Canning Tow.
Wahidullah Safi, 35, and his pregnant wife Bibi Safi, 45, were relocated to a three-bedroom property in Canning Town in 2023.
However, they soon discovered the appalling state of the apartment, which was infested with mice and plagued by black mould. They faced a bad condition with 'dangerous' coughs.
Despite their efforts to seek assistance from Newham Council, their situation remains unchanged.
A family of thirteen not only faces difficulties in living but also struggles to find a solution.
Wahidullah Safi, a resident of the UK for seven years, works as a delivery driver.
The Safi family arrived in the UK in 2022, aided by the British Army after the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan.
The family moved into the three-bed property in Canning Town in 2023 but quickly realised the dire state of this apartment.
Their attempts to relocate from the crumbling apartment have been rejected due to not meeting the three-year residency requirement.
The family faced the challenge of accommodating all thirteen members in a three-bedroom apartment.
According to Wahidullah Saf, their apartment only has three properties, which is insufficient for their family of thirteen. Three children are forced to sleep in the living room. Mr. Safi claims that neither Newham nor Greenwich Council takes their case seriously.
Addionally, his wife's health deteriorates, and with the imminent arrival of their twelfth child, the family's desperation grows.
The family of thirteen struggles in a mould-infested environment, but the council takes no action.
Despite multiple complaints about the black mould, Newham Council has failed to take substantial action. A preliminary check-up visit yielded no results.
Wahidullah Safi recounts, "They sent a person to take pictures of the damp, who said, 'This is very dangerous for the children; we have a team we can send round.' Since then, I have not seen anyone."
The council is reported to collaborating with Greenwich Borough to find a solution for the Safi family.
Despite a preliminary visit, where the severity of the conditions was acknowledged, Mr. Safi claims no substantial action has been taken.
He said: 'The landlord has informed us that some improvement works have been made to rectify some of these issues, but we are aware that the overcrowding in the property still remains an issue of concern.
'We are currently working with the London Borough of Greenwich to resolve the situation and we are in direct contact with the family to discuss their housing options.'
The family's predicament is exacerbated by the jurisdictional complexities between Newham and Greenwich councils. Rejected rehousing applications and bureaucratic ping-pong leave the Safi family stranded with no viable solution in sight.
The Greenwich Council spokeperson explained: 'Unfortunately, there is a housing crisis in London and we have more than 27,000 households on our housing waiting list, and more than 1,900 households living in temporary accommodation. With homelessness sadly at record levels, it is a huge challenge for local authorities across the capital and beyond.'
Both Newham and Greenwich councils acknowledge the substandard living conditions but cite challenges in finding suitable accommodation due to the housing crisis in London.
Despite seeking assistance from local MPs, including Lyn Brown and Matthew Pennycook, the Safi family remains trapped in a bureaucratic labyrinth with no clear resolution.
