Mother forced to sleep on floor for five years wants Waltham Forest Council to giver her bigger flat

Louise Debono, 28, was allocated a ground floor one bedroom flat in Lavender Place, Ilford, by Waltham Forest Council in 2012.

She and her boyfriend Jerome Myrie, 34, live with their son Coby, two, and Ms Debono’s daughter Mariah McKenzie, 9.

Ms Debono said because it would be inappropriate for her daughter to share a room with her mother’s boyfriend, she sleeps in the bedroom with her younger brother.

This leaves the adults with no choice but to sleep on the floor of the living room, which Ms Debono says is causing her arthritis to worsen.

She said: “I need to have my own room because of my arthritis in my back. I have two slipped discs in my spine and have to take injections for the pain.

“I have trouble using the stairs and my son fell down it one day and injured his lip because I couldn’t pick him up.

Ms Debono says it would be inappropriate for her daughter to share a bedroom with her mother's boyfriend.

“I need a place with a lift because if I have to keep using the stairs and sleeping on the floor I’ll end up in a wheelchair.”

Mr Myrie, who works as a delivery driver, pays £120 a week for rent.

Ms Debono said her flat is unfit to live in because it is crawling with mice and mould.

She claims a council workman filled in the holes in the walls with foam to stop mice entering but she said she still finds mice droppings in the cupboards.

As well as affecting her health, the “disgusting” living conditions are taking a toll on Ms Debono’s relationship with Jerome.

She said: “There are no windows in the kitchen so when I cook the place fills with smoke and I can barely breathe. It has made my asthma worse.

“There is nowhere to hang the washing and some days my children stink of damp because their clothes take so long to dry. My daughter has nowhere to do her homework.

“We have mould on the walls and mice droppings where we store our food. It’s revolting.

“Being in such a cramped space with my boyfriend is causing us to argue every day and I think this is why there are so many single parents out there. There’s nowhere to go and cool-off after an argument.

“I have told the council about my health issues and the situation so many times but they are ignoring us.”

A spokesman for Waltham Forest Council said: “At the time of allocating temporary accommodation to Ms Debano, the first floor one bedroom property met her needs.

“Her situation has changed and having re-assessed her needs, we have awarded extra priority points for a transfer to a ground floor property.

“We are not aware of the pest issue mentioned, but will investigate this with the managing agent.”