Social tenant's bath and sink filling up with raw sewage for past six months

9 January 2023, 14:46 | Updated: 9 January 2023, 14:47

An east London council has been shamed over a tenant whose bath and sink has been filling up with raw sewage for over half a year.

Grim images show dark and murky green water filling the Newham resident's tub and sink, and a horrible sloppy mess underneath the bath.

Pictures were taken by Kwajo Tweneboa, a social housing campaigner who helps tenants stuck in dire situations fight for their rights.

The host of the documentary Untold: Help! My Home is Disgusting shared the photos on Twitter on Saturday, writing: "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. Not only is is disgusting and frustrating for the tenant it’s very dangerous."

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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."

Tagging Newham Mayor Rokhsana Fiaz in the post to get her attention, Mr Tweneboa wrote: "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."

Many people were shocked by the post, including Nick Sankey, who in a message to the Newham Council said: "This is vile, you’d close down a private business with facilities like this."

Another disgusted follower wrote: "Restaurants cannot operate with raw sewage present, tenants shouldn’t have to f*****g live in it."

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A third added: "This is an absolute disgrace @NewhamLondon! You should be utterly ashamed of yourselves that you’ve let this tenant suffer like this for so long. No one should be forced to live in those conditions!"

Marsha Prescod wrote: "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."

It is not yet clear whether the tenant was living in housing directly managed by Newham Council or in a housing association property.

But councillors in the area have acknowledged the complaint, with Cllr Shaban Mohammed writing: "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."

In another post, he said: "I have spoken to the tenant directly the matter is in hand being dealt with.

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"There are procedures and protocols that l will be looking into this will from the initial call, and the resident engagement between the tenant and the repair service."

Responding directly via its Twitter account, Newham Council said: "We are sorry to hear about this. 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."

LBC News has contacted Newham Council for comment.