A Thornton Heath family say they are living in a one-bedroom flat that is “not suitable” for their needs as they wait to hear back from authorities about rehousing.
Kevin Bishenden, who had his right leg amputated last summer, lives with his wife Nicola and his mother-in-law, Gwen, in an upper-floor flat at Kettering Court.
The property has one bedroom, with Kevin sleeping in the living room, his mother-in-law on the sofa, and Nicola in the bedroom.
The family are requesting a two-bedroom property with a wet room, ideally on a ground or first floor with a lift.
Nicola Bishenden told Your Local Guardian: “Mum has blood clots, so that isn’t helping.
“We need somewhere suitable, but the council keeps passing the buck.
“We’ve tried phoning different people and sending emails, but nothing happens.
“Kevin filled out a form a month ago, and it said it would take 10 days to hear back, but we still haven’t had a proper response.”
Kevin added: “We virtually need a two-bedroom property, preferably on a ground floor or first floor with a lift.
“Right now, I’m in the living room with a single bed, Nicola’s in the bedroom, and my mother-in-law is on the sofa.
“We’ve been living like this since I came out of hospital.”
Kevin described the experience of trying to “speak to a human” at the council is “impossible”.
He also highlighted fire safety risks in the building, saying: “There’s no sprinkler system, no fire extinguishers, no alarms, no nothing.
“If there was a fire, I wouldn’t be able to get out.
“You’re not allowed to use the lift during a fire, and that would put me at risk.”
The family claimed to have faced repeated obstacles in communicating with the council’s housing department.
Kevin explained: “I must have sent at least 10 or 20 emails asking what’s happening.
“That’s all I ever get back.
“It’s beyond a joke.”
The family have lived in the flat since 2014 and claimed to have previously experienced small fires in the block.
In addition to mobility and safety concerns, Nicola’s mother has blood clots, asthma, and early-stage Alzheimer’s, making climbing stairs especially difficult.
Nicola said: “We have asthma.
“If we try to climb the stairs, we will have an asthma attack.
“It isn’t safe for any of us.”
Despite these challenges, the family want to remain in Thornton Heath.
Kevin said: “I just want to stay in this area.
“I know the people, and we don’t want to move far away.”
A spokesperson for Croydon Council said: “We are aware of the family’s request for rehousing and are reviewing their application.
“We aim to provide safe and suitable accommodation for all residents and will continue to work with the family to find a solution as quickly as possible.
“We encourage residents to contact us directly with any urgent needs so that they can be addressed appropriately.”
Share