A Plymouth family were forced to spend Christmas at a local hotel following persistent issues with their flat, with the mum saying “no human should have to live like that”.
Kiera Whitely and partner Aaron Tack are now living in one hotel room with both of their young children – and could be for months still.
The family of four had been living in the flat, provided by Sanctuary Housing Association, for two years, and had endured water leaks and dampness during their entire tenure. The problems eventually built up and their ceiling collapsed.
Kiara was in the kitchen with both her children when the ceiling caved in – falling bits of debris only just missed her two year old son. The mum and dad, both twenty-three, were especially angry because they had told Sanctuary housing months before about their concerns, reports PlymouthLive.
Kiera said she was trying to cook dinner for the children “when the leak and the really huge hole happened”. She added: “It made us really angry as they (Sanctuary Housing) said it was safe. My son was in the kitchen and a bit of ceiling fell two centimetres from his head”.
Reflecting on the incident, she said: “If it had been two centimetres closer to my son, he could have been gone. I felt like I wanted to give up. No human should have to live like that, let alone children.”
The pair were moved into a hotel on December 15, but felt angry as there were plenty of warning signs of the ceiling collapse. They say a light hanging off the ceiling had water coming in around it, and it even fell off days before the ceiling gave way. In addition, they had been living in damp conditions with leaks for many months.
Kiara said they had been in touch with Sanctuary Housing for months after noticing a hole in the ceiling, but the charity instead told them the flat was safe. Now squeezed into one hotel room, the family could be there until Spring 2024. She said Christmas was “awful” and that the parents are at “breaking point”, adding that the children “feel unsafe” in the hotel.
The flat is provided by Plymouth City Council via Sanctuary Housing Association, and it is thought to be a leak in the roof that caused the ceiling collapse. The current date they’ve been given for the roof to be fixed is 14 March.
Kiara’s aunt Emma had some strong words about the situation: “I honestly cannot believe in this day and age that human beings are expected to live in these conditions. If the roof isn’t fixed the leak will continue and the same will happen in the future. Further leak damage is already showing in the hallway, so clearly the leak is spreading”.
She also pointed out that Kiara’s daughter has fluid on her lungs, wheezing and bronchitis, saying: “it would not be any surprise if the living conditions are a contributory factor”.
A spokesperson for Sanctuary said: “Our specialist contractors have visited the property to inspect the roof and carry out initial repairs. A further inspection is required to assess the full extent of the damage and ensure the leak is fixed so the ceiling can be repaired.
“We are sorry for the time it is taking to resolve this issue and are committed to completing the required work as soon as possible so the family can return home.”
