Lambeth family facing homelessness after six years of leaks, mould and asbestos

A Lambeth family are facing homelessness after six years of appalling disrepair and inhumane living conditions.

Marie Cafun and her children are tenants of the Lambeth Council. For the last six years, they have faced ongoing leaks, serious mould and infestations. Now, her ceiling has collapsed, exposing asbestos.

Lambeth Council are not the only council in London who are currently exposing residents to serious health problems.

Only recently, the Canary reported on Greenwich council endangering the lives of disabled tenants at their Ignatius Sancho Road Estate in Kidbrooke.

Serious health risks in Lambeth

Exposure to mould can affect the lungs and airways, skin and eyes, causing serious illness and even death. Housing without adequate ventilation increases these risks. People with underlying health conditions and disabilities with weakened immune systems are at greater risk of mould-related illness.

Similarly, asbestos can cause serious illnesses which usually do not present for many years. Moreover, once a doctor diagnoses an asbestos-related illness, it is usually too late to treat it. It can cause various lung cancers and other dangerous lung conditions, including Asbestosis. This is when the lungs become scarred due to heavy asbestos exposure, causing progressive shortness of breath, which can be fatal.

Every year, around 5000 workers are killed due to exposure to asbestos.

The threat of homelessness

Lambeth council moved Marie and her two adult children into one small hotel room. This was after she had to fight them, just to be moved to safety. Shockingly, the council are now demanding that they leave the hotel by Saturday, 28 June. This is despite the council still not carrying out the repairs.

From 2023/24, Lambeth had the second highest number of people experiencing street homelessness in the borough. Importantly, the number of people rough sleeping is only the tip of the iceberg in terms of homelessness figures. However, it is a good indicator of serious problems in the area. The council placed an additional 4,300 people in temporary accommodation, and 187 families in private rented sector properties that had been experiencing homelessness.

Danny Adilypour, Lambeth Councillor and Deputy Leader for Housing, Investment and New Homes, has promised Marie an update this week, when he gets a response from council officers.

ACORN is demanding that the council remove the threat of homelessness and guarantee Marie and her children “decent and secure housing”.

They are encouraging the public to support Marie by sending an email to the council. You can do that here.

Feature image via ACORN Lambeth/X