Moment torrent of water gushes down stairwell in social housing block after pipe burst due to ‘faulty mains water pump’ – with 20 families forced to move out and live in hotels
- Block plagued by flooding, black mould and rotting wood, residents have said
New build homes in south London have been left uninhabitable by flooding and are said to be plagued by black mould, forcing families to move out and live in hotels.
Shocking videos have shown water gushing into a stairwell at the block in Mitcham, leaving hallways and homes water-logged.
Helpless residents filmed themselves desperately attempting to sweep litres of water away, to no avail.
The flooding has made one block temporarily uninhabitable, meaning the 20 families affected have had to leave and be rehoused or are living with friends.
The company which runs the social housing blamed a faulty mains water pump for the flooding, which caused a spike in pressure and led to a burst to the communal pipes.
Shocking videos have shown water gushing into a stairwell at the block in Mitcham, leaving hallways and homes water-logged
Helpless residents filmed themselves desperately attempting to sweep the water away, to no avail
Pictures from the site show parts of the building’s wooden structures are rotten, with birds nesting inside them
Housing campaigner Kwajo Tweneboa, who lives just around the corner from the block, slammed developers and housing associations, claiming they are cutting corners.
He told Sky News that the building materials ‘are simply not good enough’ and that this ‘should not be happening’.
The three-storey block, which is run by Southern Housing, was completed in 2017.
Residents say the block has been troubled by problems almost since it was first built.
Campaigner Mr Tweneboa first drew attention to the grim conditions when he visited the block earlier this month, sharing videos of what he found to social media.
He said: ‘They’re charging rent and want to maximise their income but it’s at the expense of tenants’ health and safety.
‘That is what I’m seeing – it’s tenants’ health and safety. Six years on from Grenfell, that isn’t good enough.’
Pictures from the site show parts of the building’s wooden structures are rotten, with birds nesting inside them.
One of the block’s resident, Natalie, said mould and black mushrooms have been taking over the walls in parts of the building.
Elvis Mensah-Akorah says he and his family of five are struggling and that the hotel they have been temporarily rehoused in does not meet their needs
Pictures show flooded hallways at the new build block of flats in Mitcham, south London
She said after complaining about mould and mushrooms growing on the wall, the housing manager simply got someone to take them off and paint over it.
‘They literally just took [the mushrooms] off the wall. They haven’t actually located the problem. They took them off the wall and painted,’ she said.
‘They clearly don’t care.’
One of the families who has been moved out of their home following flooding is now staying in a hotel.
Elvis Mensah-Akorah says he and his family of five are struggling and that the hotel does not meet their needs.
He has a 20-year-old son who is severely disabled and needs to be fed through a tube.
‘[Southern Housing] are making me suspect this is pure punishment and discriminatory,’ he told Sky.
Southern Housing, which is also known as Optivo, said they are in regular contact with Mr Mensah-Akorah and will ‘work closely with him to understand his concerns’.
The social housing provider said it is a not-for-profit and has contractors working on the block.
The group has been contacted for further comment.
