Petition from Boundary House Residents

Residents in Boundary House have been pushed out of their homes in Waltham Forest, and placed in 'temporary accomodation', in Welwyn Garden City. The conditions are dangerous and unfit, and we are isolated from our support networks and loved ones.

We outline our issues and demands below:

 Crisis 1- No support system

·         Vulnerable mothers are placed so far from close relatives and friends where they have nobody to turn to when help is needed.

·         We are treated like criminals and isolated from our known community.

·         The feeling of having nobody to turn to has caused great depression and stress amongst us.

·         Welwyn Garden City Station is a 30 / 40 minute walk, the commute to London is long and expensive, causing us more isolation.

Crisis 2- Working mothers

·         It is unjust and unfair to place mothers who have employment in their known London community far away from their place of work.

·         Waltham forest council doesn’t consider the expensive transport fare issue that we have raised so many times.

·         Instead of Waltham forest trying to help and support working mothers, they have told us to quit our jobs.

·         What gives them the right to tell mothers who are trying hard to work and make something of themselves that they need to quit their jobs. WHO OR WHAT GIVES THEM THE RIGHT TO TALK TO US LIKE THAT!!!!!

Crisis 3- Disgraceful lack of property management

·         The Management of Boundary house temporary accommodation is the worst we have ever encountered.

·         Emergency dangerous issues are never taken serious by Walthamstow council or Theori Housing Management Services Ltd.

·         The fact that our children are being left in these conditions is outrageous. This is a form of child abuse that is being initiated by Theori Housing Management, alongside with Waltham forest council.

·         Families have been left with damaged water pumps and with no supply of hot water for over year.

·         Terrifying conditions, such as when a tenant was left with a dented water pump that caused electrical sparks and smoke. Mother and her 1 year old at the time, were left in this hazardous and unsafe environment for over a year.

·         A pregnant mother with her 2 year old was left with no heating during the winter period. Theori Housing Management Ltd, are legally responsible for providing heating system that work and yet they refuse to provide an alternative heating. Till this day the heater is still not fixed and Waltham forest are not doing anything about it.

·         With the disgraceful property management, we are still charged with extortionate bills for electricity and water.

Crisis 4- Mould concerns

·         Most tenants are experiencing mould issues. Theori knows about the mould and yet refuses to do anything about it.

·         Families with babies and young children are forced to breath in the mould debris day and night.

·         We all know that mould can be very harmful to younger children causing them to develop respiratory problems.

Crisis 5- Infestation of cockroaches 

·         A couple of tenants have been having issues with cockroaches, and sooner or later the whole building will be infested by them.

·         These disgusting pests are roaming all over our food counters and cupboards, where we keep the food which we feed our children with.

·         Our children are having nightmare terrors and panic attacks due to the cockroaches.

Crisis 6- Lack of safety

·         Side door entrance of the building has been damaged for some time now and after various complaints to Theori nothing has been done about it.

·         Because they refuse to fix the door random strangers are entering the building and causing nuisance in the flat.

·         There have been many occasions where group of young male adults let themselves into the building which they use as their drug house. Smoking illegal substances to the point where we and our children are being forced to inhale the smoke.

·         Why should we have to live our lives in fear, why should we have to feel unsafe in our homes and why should our children be put in this horrible conditions?

We ask, why is alright for Waltham forest to place our children and pregnant mothers in such horrendous accommodation? Basically, we are being shown that it is acceptable for our children to be placed in this dangerous and unsafe environment, and that it is normal for Waltham forest council to leave families in inhospitable conditions.

Boundary house is an unsuitable accommodation for families; the building has so many dangerous problems that it shouldn’t even be allowed to be used as an accommodation.

This shows the lack of care into property inspections taken by Waltham forest council before they place families in temporary accommodations.

All we ask for is to be treated fairly and not as criminals, to be relocated in our known communities where we have families and support networks nearby, that we can turn to when we fill unsafe or need of emergency help.

 We ask that Waltham forest stop lying to us. We were misled into thinking we are going to be placed here for a short amount of time, and we have end up here for years.

The bottom line is we are tired of this temporary accommodation, which has turned into our permanent accommodation. We want to be rehoused back in London where can be settled, where mothers who are eager to work can work and live the normal lives that we all deserve. A lot of mothers want to work and build something for themselves and their children but we can’t when are not settled, when we are depressed and stressed.  

 We, the undersigned, demand that Waltham Forest Council:

•  Rehouse us in London, close to our families and support networks, to give us security, and so those that want to can return to work.
• Provide us with safe and decent homes. No mould, cockroaches or dangerous faulty facilities!
• Investigate the suitability of Boundary House as accommodation. Waltham Forest Council must make sure that the accommodation they are moving people to be decent, safe and suitable homes.
• Investigate and destroy your contract with Theori Housing Management Ltd. They refuse to provide adequate management of their properties, leaving them dirty, dangerous and inhospitable for the residents.
•  Protect and defend the more vulnerable and marginalised of your community; young single mother should not be isolated from support networks, children should be able to grow up near their families.
• Stop lying to your constituents! You have lied, and continue to lie, to each and every one of us. We demand you treat us with respect, and are transparent with your actions.
• Stop evicting people from Waltham Forest, and from London. It is our homes and we have just as much right as anyone to make our homes and raise our children there.