A family living in a council block plagued by bed bugs for almost a year say some residents are getting more help than others.
Shanika Bonsu’s two-bedroom flat in Kingfisher Court has been treated for bed bugs six times in the last eight months.
Each time, she says they have got rid of soft furnishings which may still have bugs or eggs hiding in them – including the mattresses she and her three small children sleep on.
But while some residents are having some items replaced by Brighton and Hove City Council, the council won’t replace any of hers.
She believes this may be because she is not classed as a social tenant, unlike most of the other tenants in the block.
Their flat was bought back by the council after being sold under right to buy, and the council now charges what is classed as an affordable rent – but which is several hundred pounds more than the social rent rate.
Brighton and Hove City Council says while it’s true some residents get help and others don’t, this is linked to household circumstance and not the type of tenancy.
Shanika said: “It has been the most awful way to live. The council have taken away my furniture and carpets and not replaced anything and just left me and three kids in a empty property.
“We have been sleeping very uncomfortable on blow up beds and it’s been so cold as there’s no flooring or carpet down for months now.
“It just doesn’t feel like our home anymore, its had a massive impact on my mental health as I just haven’t been able to sleep properly with living like this for so long.
“My children have had constant colds where it’s been so cold in the flat they don’t sleep properly as they are up in the night itching.
“I’ve rang and rang the council to see if they could move me but they said they can’t just move me out over bed bugs.
“They say they have solved the bed bugs but it’s never been solved, they keep coming back.
“They are coming through the walls of the building so they are never going to be able to get rid of them.”
Councillor Gill Williams, cabinet member for housing at Brighton and Hove City Council, said: “We understand how distressing and disruptive bedbugs can be for residents and we are committed to providing support and taking action wherever needed.
“We have carried out multiple pest control treatments in affected homes and continue to work closely with residents to monitor the situation and respond promptly to new reports.
“In terms of replacing items and furnishings following an instance of bed bugs, it is important to say we actually recommend residents do not dispose of any belongings, as many items can be successfully treated and disposing of belongings may encourage the bedbugs to spread.
“Where items do need to be replaced, the amount of financial support we provide is assessed on a case-by-case basis and any support is based on the circumstances of the household.
“This may result in different levels of support being offered, depending on the severity of the impact and the needs of the residents involved. This is not linked to the type of tenancy.”
Well Shanika isn’t a Single Parent, did or has a Boyfriend, and always looks lovely in what she wears-so do her Children.
But surely the Council can’t take away stuff and not replace it all-even if she and her BF work and pay Rent, Bills etc there could well be not enough to replace stuff, but if they taken it away you won’t want to replace it for it all to happen again and not get anything back.
All those Blocks are getting knocked down within so many Yrs, I’d wait and get a 3 Bed within this Area you want.
If that property was owned by a private landlord we would have cries of outrage about the evil capitalist landlord. Most sub standard accommodation is social housing owned by councils and housing associations. Rather than wasting money on vainglorious cycle lanes, pointless road changes £3 million to change the junction at the pier) why not spend the money improving the conditions where people live and schools?
I’d seek legal advice from an organisation specialising in housing law if I was this tenant. If it can be proven that the bedbugs keep returning because the council have failed to treat the bedbugs in the block adequately,and she keeps needing to replace items as a result, it sounds like she should be compensated for her losses.
The council may try and argue that she’s responsible for treating things in her own property and replacing items, but in blocks of flats where bed bugs can travel between properties, unless thorough and joined up action is taken in the block to eradicate them, she may have a valid case that the council is in part responsible for problems returning. If that’s the case, they will likely have some legal responsibility to pay compensation for her items if they are at fault over their handling of it.
I’m pretty sure bedbugs can be eradicated, iff the problem persists then it was never treated properly or they return because someone living there is in contact with the source of the bugs, fx another residence.