Mother demands bigger home because it's 'unfair' her three children share box room

Gemma Ryan is outraged her daughters Natasha and Hannah, 13 and 12, have to sleep in a bunk bed less than two feet away from four-year-old Nathan.

The 32-year-old, who is expecting her fourth child in April, said her council house in Highlands, South Oxhey, is too small and feels she should be prioritised for a new home.

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She said Three Rivers District Council has ignored her and is disgusted the council lost her medical records earlier this year.

Miss Ryan, who suffers from mental health issues, said living in the house is worsening her condition and said she is being “medically discriminated” against. She is unable to work because of her health problems.

She said: “I feel as though I am being ignored and nobody is listening to me. I have been telling the council since August last year that this house is not big enough, yet they only put me on a waiting list in June 2016.

“Medical professionals have also contacted the council to tell them how living here is affecting my health. Earlier this year, they asked for a copy of all my medical records, which they then lost. These notes included very personal details.

“My daughters are also going through puberty; it’s unfair that they have to get changed in the bathroom and don’t feel comfortable in their own bedroom.”

She said her children’s schools have written to the council saying that the current living conditions are having adverse effects on their education.

Miss Ryan said her eldest daughter recently moved out to live with her grandmother in Wembley, but this made getting to school too difficult.

She said: “Not only is this affecting my health, it's affecting my relationship with my daughters.

“I feel like I’m constantly shouting at them for doing things that other girls their age are doing – they want to go to bed at 9pm but can’t because they know it will wake up their little brother.

“My daughter wants to move out again. It’s horrible.”

Miss Ryan contacted the council back in August 2015. She said it has taken over a year for the council to place her on the waiting list for a Band B property. As a gesture of goodwill for losing her medical notes, the council agreed to backdate her application to May 2016.

She has been told she could be waiting up to two years to move into a different home, but Miss Ryan believes her application should be backdated by a year.

She has lodged two formal complaints against the council.

Geof Muggeridge, director of community services at Three Rivers District Council, said: “The case in question was first assessed by the council's housing team and a doctor in August and September 2015 respectively. The family was placed in Band C in accordance with the policy.

"In May 2016, further information was provided and the application was reassessed. This resulted in a change to band B. There are currently 173 families in priority band B awaiting rehousing, and it is likely to take around two years before this family can be rehoused from a two-bedroom property to three.

"Affordable housing is one of the Council’s top priorities and we continue to work hard to provide the growing demand. However, due to a shortage of affordable housing in the District, even applicants in high need are waiting long periods before being rehoused.

“Information provided by the applicant in May 2016 was temporarily misplaced so was provided again in June 2016. The initial information has subsequently been received and both copies are on the applicants file. This has resulted in the date in band being backdated to May 2016.”