After complaining about leaks in his bathroom for two years, a resident of the now almost infamous Regina Road tower blocks says it took shocking failings being exposed on the national news for the council to act.

Christopher Poku has lived in the South Norwood block for 10 years and says he has reported leaks in his bathroom for the past two years but nothing has been done about it.

The 46-year-old civil enforcement officer says the state of his flat has made him feel depressed and has made living alone during the lockdown even harder.

Appalling footage of soaking wet floors and walls thick with mould was shown on ITV News in March which opened up a national conversation about the state of council housing in Britain.

Mr Poku said: “When I saw it on TV it was terrible I just couldn’t believe there were flats in this building like that.”

Read more: ITV expose 'unliveable' housing conditions in South Norwood

He claims he had been told by the council that the leak is from the flat above but he is convinced that the problems are with the old building.

Last year he spent £900 on having a new bathroom fitted which has now been ruined by persistent leaks.

“I feel very depressed because I’ve had the place fitted,” said Mr Poku, “I did it myself because the council said I would not be eligible for a new bathroom until 2024.”

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The awful conditions of housing in Regina Road was exposed in an ITV report this year

After years of raising the issue with Croydon, Council Mr Poku says he was visited by council staff last week and now hopes that the problems will be fixed.

He said: “It is terrible I had to wait for this long, they knew that people have been complaining for a long time, they knew there is a problem.

“I think they are making an effort and trying to listen to people now but I am disappointed it has taken this long.”

Croydon Council launched an investigation into just what went wrong, it has been completed but the report will not be released to the public until after May 6, the day of local elections.

This has led to accusations of a cover-up by opposition councillors, but the council maintains pre-election rules means it cannot publish the information yet.

Since the failings of the council were exposed, a new community group has been set up to represent residents.

The South London News Podcast, Episode two: Housing crisis

In an open letter, Regina Road Residents Support Group slammed council leader Hamida Ali for not engaging with residents on the issues they are facing.

It said: “What happened to the downstairs flat was the tip of the iceberg of the conditions we have been living in for years. We keep being told they are fixable but your repairs are just a sticking plaster over serious, structural issues with the blocks.”

They say that they feel ignored and “left in limbo” and have demanded a meeting with the council leader.

A council spokesperson said the council is now in contact with the group.

They would not comment on Mr Poku’s case but added: “We carried out door-to-door checks on all flats in this block in March to address any outstanding historic repair issues, and these have either been already done or are scheduled to be done.”