Council blasted as tenant's bath fills up with raw sewage
A London council has been put on blast over a tenant whose bath and sink have been filling up with raw sewage.
The issue was highlighted by Kwajo Tweneboa, who uses his experience as a social housing tenant to help others in sticky situations.
Yesterday (7 January), the host of the documentary Untold: Help! My Home is Disgusting took to Twitter to share grizzly photos of the sewage issue, showing a bath and a sink filled with green, murky liquid.
Alongside the images, which really do speak a thousand words, Kwajo tagged Newham Council and wrote: "This tenant has been suffering with raw sewage filling their bath and sink for the last 6 months. Complaints have been made but it hasn’t been fixed.
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"Not only is is disgusting and frustrating for the tenant it’s very dangerous."
In a follow-up tweet, he said: "The tenant suffers with a disability and has been forced to try and remove the bath panel to drain it. It happens regularly."
"This is the state under the bath itself," he added with a photo showing more sewage and plumbing that looks worse for wear.
Finally, he tagged Newham Mayor Rokhsana Fiaz, saying: "Last year you helped this constituent with their housing I’ve been told. Unfortunately since then this is how they’ve been treated by the council."
Thousands of people have shared and commented on Kwajo's tweets, with one writing: "This is illegal and the landlord should have provided alternative accommodation."
Another said: "Have any lawyers volunteered to get involved yet? I think this needs a stiff strong arm at the council. Hoping someone volunteers to do this soon."
A third asked: "How do local authorities and housing associations get away with these things?"
The home appears to belong to a man named Tyler Laudat, who commented on the thread: "It's gotten so bad I have had to take stuff to my mum house. I don't want my stuff to get destroyed."
Newham Council's official Twitter page responded to the situation with a message from councillor Shaban Mohammed.
"We are sorry to hear about this," he said. "Council officers have spoken with the resident today and provided reassurance.
"We have arranged to visit the property as soon as possible, at a suitable time for the resident."
Shaban wrote in a separate response from his own account: "Thank you for raising this. I have contacted the resident and Housing Services will be dealing with this.
"I am also initiating an investigation into this case as l am deeply disappointed with what's happened to the tenant."
But many people feel the response isn't enough, including this person who said: "The tenant should be moved out immediately. The landlords should be taken to court next week.
"SIX months in such conditions? Being 'disappointed' doesn't cut it. Looking at Councillors' PR heavy tweeted pictures of 'fun' activities..."
Responding to a message in which Shaban asked for the tenant to email him personally to take up the case, Tyler said: "I emailed you. It's so bad I can't stay there anymore. It's either I need to be move or this needs to be fixed. But the works are major."
LADbible has contacted Newham Council, Shaban Mohammed, Kwajo Tweneboa and Tyler Laudat for comment.
Daisy Phillipson