Northolt Resident Claims Ealing Council Have Housed Him in a Slum Errol Baptiste says he needs to use hotels due to severe health risks

A Northolt man living with existing lung condition claims his treatment by Ealing Council has been ‘abusive and oppressive’ as he faces a daily battle with mould and rats in his property. Errol Baptiste, 60, has been living in a rented bungalow for over four years since November 2020 having been placed there by Ealing Council because of concerns about his previous accommodation.

Mr Baptiste had to contend with mould on the wallpaper that are so damp the paper is peeling off them and mould spores throughout the property which he fears is worsening his health problems. He says he’s felt forced to pay for hotels on occasion, spending over £400 in total, because the conditions inside the property are putting him at risk. Despite the Housing Ombudsman ruling in Errol Baptiste’s favour, Ealing Council made no sign of having an ‘action plan’ to address the issues.

Errol Baptiste told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS): ”I am living in squalor. I’m living in the Victorian slum era. I have to pay double-I pay for the rent, and then I’m paying for the hotel, because when I get sick, it’s not safe.

”Ealing Council has offered me no support. They actually ignored my complaints for 35 months also breach the 56 Rules of Law and have done nothing. Ealing Council take unfair advantage of my mental health, autism and OCD.

”I began making videos about the problems, complaining about the state of the housing, and Ealing Council tried to claim harassment and failed in their mission of course by criminalising me. Their responses are vexatious-they victimized me for reporting the damp and mould”.

News links on housing disrepair

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/tenant-rats-mould-home-northolt-e…

https://www.mylondon.news/west-london-news/i-live-squalor-mould-rats-311…?