Ms. Eniola has been in her council flat Neasden, north London since 1992. Once an activist for her home, now a long-time resident dealing with dire conditions, she fights for change. She lives on the property with her adult daughter and severely disabled son. Today, it finds itself at the heart of a legal fight with Brent Council to make them address serious disrepair. These problems endanger their wellbeing. Consequently, Ms. Eniola is currently pursuing a more permanent getaway from Brent.
For more than three years, Ms. Eniola has repeatedly warned about extensive damage throughout her home. The main complaints were sewer backup that lets rats into the house, widespread moisture, and the development of hazardous black mold. This pest control inspection report found the home unlivable due to a full-on rat infestation. It reported the property as being completely infested with mice and rats. In addition, the report stated that mould and damp had “taken over the whole house.”
“We’re all inhaling black mould and we’re depressed due to living here,” she stated. The dramatically inequitable conditions have led to health issues among her family. They experience rat bites, inability to afford a kitchen sink repair leading to loss of drinking water source at home.
Ms. Eniola has already had scores of visits from council surveyors, 6 times in one year alone. She argues little has been done to address the underlying problems. She voiced annoyance at the council for not following through after the release of survey findings. “They say they have no record of it and just book another one in,” she explained.
Ms. Eniola’s attorneys are anxiously awaiting a date for Ms. Eniola’s case to be set in state court. She’s hellbent to get justice for what she describes as an unlawful, unhealthy home. “Brent Council has terrorised me and my family by keeping us in dangerous housing despite reports saying it’s not safe,” she said.
The failure to fix this continuing disrepair has taken an emotional toll on the family. “My family is struggling to breathe in the house,” Ms. Eniola lamented, emphasizing the urgency of their predicament. She voiced her desperation, stating, “I don’t want to die early; who will take care of my disabled son? I just want to leave Brent permanently and move to another area for a fresh start.”
