Mum-of-two pleads for help in temporary accommodation infested with mice and cockroaches

A single mum-of-two is pleading for help after months of living with mice and cockroach infestations in her council flat.

Roche Smith, 29, and her two children, aged three and seven, were moved into temporary accommodation in London Road, Mitcham, by Lambeth council in January.

She said: “Being in this home is awful.

“The mice eat our food and the landlord says there is nothing he can do.”

Pest control attended Ms Smith’s property on April 12 and 26. The report detailed “bad mice infestations especially in the bedroom” which required “repairs to fill holes” in the floor and walls.

But Ms Smith said no one from the council or pest control has visited the property since.

A Lambeth council spokesperson said: “Due to the housing crisis in Lambeth and London as a whole, there is a significant shortage of suitable and affordable housing in Lambeth – owned by the council or in the private rented sector.”

Ms Smith said the property is also riddled with damp and mould, which she believes is affecting her children’s health.

She said: “My son has asthma and he can’t settle. He’s constantly coughing and the GP has told me the mould will be making it worse.”

Ms Smith has been living in temporary accommodation under Lambeth council for four years.

She said: “I’ve been bidding since my son was a baby but it’s become too much.

“They can’t keep putting people in temporary accommodation like this – the council are acting like it’s fine but people can’t live in these conditions.”

A spokesman from the council said they had received a request from Ms Smith to review the accommodation.

They said: “As part of this process we will be carrying out a full inspection of the property to investigate the alleged pest control issues. 

“We will work with the accommodation provider to address any issues identified during the inspection. If it is not possible for the issues to be resolved with the resident in situ, we will arrange for an offer of alternative temporary accommodation.”

Pictured top: Roche Smith (Picture: Roche Smith)