A mum of three disabled kids who has been battling leaks in their flat in Kew since 2015 feels trapped in a 'waiting game' as she fears mysterious bulging in the ceiling is a sign it's going to 'explode' with water at any moment. 

Katie, whose name has been changed as she wishes to remain anonymous, claimed walls in her two-bed flat in Maple House, Kew, are bulging and she is concerned this is due to leakage.

The 38-year-old told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) that the repeated leaks in the flat, owned by housing association Metropolitan Thames Valley (MTVH), have badly affected her three disabled kids – aged 3, 15 and 18.

Her three-year-old son is autistic and has a feeding tube and respiratory issues, while her 15-year-old daughter has autism, asthma and attention deficit disorder and her 18-year-old daughter has autism, ADHD and severe mental health issues.

Katie told the LDRS she first noticed a leak in her bedroom ceiling in 2015, after moving into the flat in 2013, and she has experienced repeated leaks in the years since.

Katie told the LDRS that the state of the flat has affected her children badly. (Photo Credit: Facundo Arrizabalaga/MyLondon).

She said both bedrooms, the living room and hallway have been affected and MTVH has moved the family into hotels while issues were ongoing.

The mum claimed MTVH has blamed leaks in the flat on issues with the balcony running across two flats above hers, and that it has carried out works on the balcony multiple times.

She told the LDRS she has struggled to receive regular and timely communication from the housing association and many of her emails have gone unanswered.

She said she feels it has not properly investigated the issues.

MTVH said it sympathised with the family's experience and has been working hard for several years to support them whenever problems have occurred.

It added its singular concern is the family living in a 'warm, safe and dry' home.

Katie said the most recent leak became evident in October 2022 when she noticed damp patches on her daughters' bedroom ceiling, with water leaking through in early 2023.

She said MTVH has repaired leaks over the years, including the most recent one, by cutting holes in the ceilings before sealing them shut, applying stain block and painting over the affected areas.

She told the LDRS the ceiling of the bedroom she sleeps in with her-3-year-old son is now bulging, while walls in her daughters' bedroom are also bulging.

As a result, she said she feels 'it's just a waiting game' until water starts leaking through again.

She added: "Because the stain block is there, you're not seeing the damp patch come through. But is that a build [up] of water that then all of a sudden is going to explode?"

The mum is also concerned about potential damp above the ceilings from previous leaks – particularly as her 15-year-old daughter has asthma, while her 3-year-old son 'coughs every night'. She said her 18-year-old daughter sleeps on the living room sofa as the issues have affected her mental health to the point she refuses to sleep in her bed.

Katie said her mental health has been affected by uncertainty over whether another leak will occur. (Photo Credit: Facundo Arrizabalaga/MyLondon).

Katie said her mental health has also been affected by uncertainty over whether another leak will occur. "I work. I've got three kids. They're all registered disabled, they've all got different needs and disabilities. [I'm] trying to focus on them," she said.

"I'm lucky we can live here, but it's to the extent of, OK, how much more of this can you really put up with and how much longer is it going to take before water does start coming back through?"

When asked how her kids would feel if another leak occurred in the flat, she said: "They will go insane, absolutely insane.

"At one point, one of my children went and stayed with my mum. But my mum doesn't have the space for all of us."

She added: "Because of all their conditions, they're not good with change. As their mum, I have to keep reassuring them."

The mum said she is classed as band A priority on the social care queue of Richmond Council's housing register as she is overcrowded.

Although she has been advised to use HomeSwapper to find another property, she described how she would feel uncomfortable leaving another family in the flat due to the issues she has experienced.

She said: "How can I be honest? Say, 'you're really interested in my property? Look at it. I'll quite happily swap with you'. Yeah, that's fine, and I leave knowing I wouldn't be able to sleep."

An MTVH spokesperson said: "This has clearly been a highly distressing situation for [Katie] and her family, and we sympathise greatly with their experience.

"Our singular concern and wish is that the family should live in a home that is warm, safe and dry and one which doesn't negatively impact their mental and physical health.

"We have been working hard over several years to support [Katie] and have worked to resolve problems in her home wherever they have occurred.

"This has included repairing damage to the ceiling and carrying out full electrical check to ensure the safety of the property.

"We are aware of and are highly sensitive to family members' vulnerabilities and when needed have found alternative accommodation for the family while works are completed."