A single mother and former foster care child from Kingston has been left in "unsafe" accommodation in New Malden for five years with her son despite numerous complaints to her landlord.

Naz Zarei was placed in her current home by Kingston Council five years ago with a PA from Achieving for Children.

However, from the moment she moved into the property, she started experiencing problems from a neighbour in the flat below her who is said to be struggling with her mental health.

In an exclusive interview with Kingston Nub News, Ms Zarei said: "The first day I was here, I had my door knocked off the hinges physically by this neighbour, to which I called my landlord, London and Quadrant Association (L&Q), and they told me that my neighbour has severe, severe mental health issues."

Ms Zarei says that her neighbour knocked her door off its hinges (Credit: Naz Zarei)

Ms Zarei says she has experienced several incidents, some physical and violent, with her neighbour, which has impacted hers and her son's mental health.

Because of this, she has consistently submitted complaints to and sought help from her landlord, London & Quadrant Housing Association (L&Q), and Kingston Council in the hope that she and her son could move to a new home.

However, after an investigation into Ms Zarei's numerous complaints, L&Q previously decided that her situation is not worthy of a move, stating that its transfer list "is only open for emergency and medical priority application".

In a letter sent to Ms Zarei regarding the investigation, L&Q said: "Please note that a priority need would be where a resident has mobility needs or requires adaptations that cannot be provided in their current home, a threat to their life, with police etc confirmation, residents are downsizing to a smaller property, or there is major repair works, that resident must be moved for the works to be carried out.

"We have advised residents, that they can either contact their local council for rehousing, but we cannot guarantee acceptance, or apply for a mutual exchange via home swapper, Housing exchange, Facebook swap pages & Housing moves."

However, Ms Zarei reports that she has reached out to both Kingston Council and the police in the past, yet has had no help from either authority.

Speaking about the investigation outcome, Ms Zarei said: "They [L&Q] hold no accountability of anything."

She has also contacted her ward councillor seeking help, but says "they haven't done anything to help, but get their name out there and pretend to help me".

Since contacting the Council back in August of this year, Ms Zarei says that she is still living in the same accommodation and that she has had no hot water or heating for three months.

She told Kingston Nub News: "Me and my child have been left with no hot water or heating. My mental health has hit rock bottom, and I want to bang my head on a wall every single f****** day. 

"My child's social life is f***** completely f****** gone. We're being treated like pigs in a slaughter house. We have been left without hot water or heating for three months.

"No one is replying and no one is helping us; I'm on the verge of getting a tent with my nine-year-old child and running away from London completely to ask anyone for help."

Ms Zarei, who has autism, says that she is "struggling" to fill out the necessary forms needed to be relocated.

She said: "I'm struggling to fill out these forms. I was told to fill in a form for the council, but it got rejected.

"I feel like they are all literally laughing at me and most probably sending me round in circles ."

She added: "My little boy is being home schooled because I am too scared to take him to school due to a previous attack from my neighbour on our journey to school.

"None of this is normal. I don't know what else to do. I feel so depressed, I genuinely don't want to be left here." 

Ms Zarei says that she is worried that her child is "going to suffer at the end of this emotionally and mentally".

She added: "Everyone's acting like this is normal, that I should just live with it.

"I'm literally affected, my little boy is affected, it's done. The damage is done but we have to just endure it for how long. 

"It's like I'm talking but no one is listening to me. And no one is doing anything to help."

Ms Zarei explained that her ward councillor told her that L&Q were looking at doing a 'managed move' for her and her son, but when she emailed the landlord, it said that this was not the case.

"They are playing with my boy's life," she said.

"I just feel hopeless."

Charlie Culshaw, Director of Housing Management at L&Q Living, previously told Nub News: "We take concerns about antisocial behaviour very seriously and understand the impact this can have on residents."

A Kingston Council Spokesperson added: "Miss Zarei remains a tenant of L&Q, which is a large Housing Association, and she is not a Kingston Council social tenant or with a council partner provider. Therefore we would expect L&Q to offer her housing advice and assistance in the first place as her social housing landlord. This may include a referral to the local Council for further advice and possible support. 

"Kingston Council does take safeguarding issues very seriously and the Council has contacted her and asked her to complete a Housing Advice Form so we can assess her circumstances. 

"We still strongly recommend she completes this form and ensures that any harassment concerns are reported to the local Police or on our website where she can report anti-social behaviour. www.kingston.gov.uk/safety-crime-and-emergencies/how-to-report-antisocial-behaviour/report "