A family has been living in damp, freezing conditions after the ceiling in their flat collapsed. 

The Altundal family were sitting in the living room on Thursday evening (February 26) when the ceiling gave way in their Leytonstone flat.

A plastic sheet has been put in by letting agency Dabora Conway, which manages the property on behalf of Ascham Homes, but tenants Hasan and Birsen Altundal are currently having to deal with leaks and freezing conditions in the High Road property.

29-year-old Hasan, who works at TFC supermarket in High Road, Leytonstone, has been spending the last few days at Waltham Forest town hall in Walthamstow calling for help.

Birsen Altundal said yesterday she feared for the safety of her two boys, 5-year-old Uguray and Gorkay, 3.

The 26-year-old said: “We were just sitting in the living room at 8pm on Thursday and there was a great big crash and the ceiling just fell in on itself.

“One of my boys could have been killed if they were sitting under it.

"I can’t believe it, there was such a big mess.

"I just did not think this kind of thing happens in this country, it is cold and damp and no one is helping us.

“It is not safe to live here. There are cracks along the ceiling and I am worried the rest of it will collapse.”

Mrs Altundal has contacted Leyton and Wanstead MP John Cryer, who has agreed to look into the case.

She claims nothing has been done anything to fix the property and the plastic sheet was not enough to keep out rain or the cold.

Mrs Altundal added: “We are not getting any help. We need it fixed now because it is freezing at night even with the heating at full.

“When it rains we have to put down buckets but it still manages to soak the carpets.

"I am worried that nothing is going to get done."

Dabora Conway has been contacted for comment.