Mum living in block with ‘human waste’ for six months after toilet ‘exploded’

By Joe Coughlan, Local Democracy Reporter

A mum says she has been living with “human waste” flooding her building on and off for six months.

Klara Topinkova lives in a flat in Elmgrove Point, Plumstead, with her husband and two children.

She said the trouble began half a year ago when excrement started seeping into the building’s car park.

She said: “It has been flooding every other month or so. Sometimes it wouldn’t be a major leak, but sometimes it would completely fill the whole car park.”

Due to the flooding, the mum claims residents could not access the communal bin storage and bin bags were piling up at the car park entrance. 

She said: “People wouldn’t even be able to go through the car park to get to their car unless they go through waste.”

Ms Topinkova also said that when contractors tried pushing blocked waste through pipes in the car park two months ago, a new problem arose in the former concierge office for the building.

She said: “The toilet has been disabled for a couple of months now because it basically exploded, burst with all the human waste.”

She said the stream of waste and its smell has attracted countless flies to the building, which affected her even all the way up on the 18th floor.

Ms Topinkova said: “Flies are all over the building, everywhere and on every single floor. You walk in and can still smell a certain scent.”

Due to flooding, the mum said tiles on the ground floor have been removed for access. To add to this, a leak in the ceiling above the main entrance of the building started last week.

“The contractors don’t want to fix it because it’s too dangerous for them to go on that roof and fix it. So it’s just really getting worse and worse,” she said. 

Regarding the leaks, Maria Frawley, assistant director of property services and repairs at PA Housing, confirmed the car park flooding was caused by a blocked drain in the building, and was first reported to PA Housing in July.

She said: “Whilst this was dealt with, we are aware that there have been further issues with drainage and a leak coming into the office from the flat above.”

“Our surveyor who visited the building on Monday confirmed that the water leaking into the office is [now] clear of waste but that some of the existing pipes need to be replaced to prevent the same issue occurring again.” 

She added that a plumber was sent to the building on Wednesday to start work after the leaks were “isolated”.

The representative also said that a temporary toilet has been provided for staff and that repair works in the office are under way.

She added: “We want to apologise for the inconvenience caused and the time it has taken to resolve the leak.

“Once the repair has been completed, a full clean-up of the building will be carried out including remedial works to the office, at the earliest possible time.”

Pictured top: Klara Topinkova shown beside the leak in the office of her building (Picture: Joe Coughlan)