Housing association asked residents to move back into ‘ruined’ flat one day after a fire

A family were asked to move back into their home just hours after a fire broke out beneath their property.

Mo Kavira and his mother were forced to leave their home after a fire broke out in the flat beneath theirs in Colville Square,  North Kensington.

Just hours earlier the fire brigade had broken the family’s door in to tackle the blaze and windows were broken as the fire was brought under control.

But housing association Notting Hill Genesis (NHG) tried to move the tenants back in the next day, despite the door being held together by a padlock.

Mr Kavira claimed when he visited the property, the beds were still wet from where the fire brigade used hoses to tackle the blaze.

Mr Kavira said: “Both bedrooms are ruined. There is no electricity at all. I would expect a hotel at least.

“The actual property has cracked windows. There is no way we could live here.

“They expect people to walk in and out. It makes no sense to me.”

A grey sludge has been left across the floor of the home with large footmarks left behind from where the fire brigade tackled flames.

Smoke damage has also stained the property above the door and on one of the ceilings.

Mr Kavira said an NHG worker apologised to him three days later after seeing the state of his home and since then NHG has offered to compensate the family and to put them up in a hotel.

A spokesperson for Notting Hill Genesis said: “The fire was reported to our out-of-hours customer service centre and once the fire was dealt with, the fire brigade deemed it safe for residents to return.

“A surveyor visited on Monday but was unable to gain access as we hadn’t been given the all-clear by police and the fire brigade.

“Our housing teams attended on Tuesday and have been on-site to offer support to any affected residents since then.

“We apologise for any inconvenience caused to the residents.”