"Move me. Do something. Don't just ignore me," says Ria Dalton who has been living in a hostel with shared facilities through Kingston council since June 2022 with her three-year-old daughter who has special needs. 

The mother and daughter have been living in Saxon House on Athelstan Road.

Ria told Kingston Nub News: "Ever since we moved into the room it has been issue after issue with damp and mould. 

"In 2022, when I first reported black mould, I was ignored for over six months and had to take matters into my own hands to take things higher to get a repair."

Ria reports she has had issues of mould in her Kingston hostel room (CRedit: Ria Dalton)

In March 2023, Ria's daughter was prescribed an inhaler due to the mould affecting her causing a persistent cough - she is still on an inhaler to this date. 

 Later that year, Ria reported to the hostel manager at the time that the wall was still damp, but no action was put into place. 

She said: "On 29 December 2024, I reported to the council that there was water dripping down the walls and a crack and caving in the ceiling.

Ria reports there is water dripping down the walls in her hostel room (Credit: Ria Dalton)

"I had a response on 30 December, telling me to contact the temporary accommodation team, which I did."

In December, Ria reports, she received a response from the Temporary Accommodation Team and agreed to meet the hostel manager at her property on 3 January along with the contractors Breyer group.

She said: "Breyer group came out to assess on 3 January and agreed that I should not have been left in a condition like this, especially with no heating. 

"I reported to the hostel manager that I had no heating, and I was told someone would come out to fix it, but nobody did."

She continued: "In January, someone from a roofing company came out to assess the property and roof and said that as it is an issue that has been left for so long, it's most likely going to be a bigger fix with the roof tiles and chimney breast. 

"Awaab's law states that landlords should give a written report and a clear time frame within 14 days and if the property poses a health or safety risk, repairs should be within seven days - this has not happened 

"That Law also states that if repairs cannot be completed within the time frames alternative accommodation should be offered - this has not happened.

"UK Housing laws state that a broken heating system should be fixed within a reasonable time frame and no heating over the winter should be resolved within 24 hours. - this has not happened."

She continued: "This room poses a big health and safety risk to both me and my daughter. what if the ceiling collapses on us in the middle of the night? 

Ria is worried the ceiling in her hostel room could collapse due to it having a crack (Credit: Ria Dalton)

"A move is needed from the property for health and safety and the council has avoided moving me or fixing the issue for over 2 years now.

"My daughter struggles with her additional needs and being in such a confined space is extremely difficult not just for her but for me also, especially with the disrepair of the property. 

"I shouldn't have to put up a fight just for my daughter to live in a safe environment.

"Nobody should live in conditions like this, and I can't imagine how many others the council has been negligent towards leaving them in un habitable conditions."

"They wouldn't live like that themselves so why is it ok to leave others in properties with such disrepair?" she asks.

Ria has contacted Kingston and Surbiton MP Ed Davey, who gave her the contact details of the best councillor to contact.

She said: "I had contact from the council, but it was from the allocations people saying, 'oh, there's delays with the new contractor or you are a priority to be housed', but they're just avoiding the issue here.

"There's water running down my walls. There's a cracking and caving in my ceiling. I've got no heating, and the council is just downright refusing to do anything about it."

'There's water running down my walls,' says Ria (Credit: Ria Dalton)

Speaking about how she hopes the council will help her, Ria said: "I just want them to acknowledge the problem rather than ignoring me and fix it. Move me. Do something. Don't just ignore me.

"It's an ongoing issue for over two years now, and I'm getting nowhere with it.

"If it was something recent, fair enough, but it's been going on for so long now that I'm fed up.

"My daughter's only three and she's on an inhaler. She shouldn't have to do that just because of her living conditions.

"The council should be actually doing something about that. Especially if they have got medical records stating that there's mould in the property."

She continued: "So obviously I'm just at my wit's end now, and I'm just doing whatever I can because no one else, no one seems to want to own up to the problem or do something about it. It's negligent."

Ria told Kingston Nub News that she threatened to seek legal advice, but the council still "did nothing to help me".

She said she's contacted the head of housing, the head of the council, and Children's Services, but hasn't "had any response from anyone".

"I'm done fighting," she said.

Since interviewing Ria last week, Kingston Council has now placed Ria and her daughter in a Travelodge.

She will be moving into another hostel next week and has been told she will get the next available two-bedroom property once its available.

However, Ria confirmed with Kingston Nub News today, Monday 10 February, that she has seen the new hostel, and it is also in "disrepair".

A Kingston Council spokesperson said: "We are committed to doing all we can to ensure residents have safe, warm places to live.

"The national housing crisis is a critical situation and there is an acute shortage of social housing nationwide.

"In Kingston we are providing close to 1,000 families and individuals with temporary accommodation, who we have a legal duty to support. 

"We recognised the tenant couldn't remain in this accommodation under the current circumstances and we have offered alternative temporary accommodation, which has been accepted. 

"The tenant has also been allocated an officer who will be a single point of contact going forward, to ensure she receives timely updates about her case.

"We are reviewing contact arrangements between residents and the community housing team to try and ensure better communication. 

"Given current levels of supply of homes and ongoing demand we recognise households in temporary accommodation can face lengthy waits for a move.

"We are working hard to ensure they are supported and are made aware of the services available to them, particularly families with children, but we understand it is a very challenging situation to live in."