Family of seven living in a tent after quitting home over rodent 'infestation'

19 August 2023 , 16:44

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Family with their tent (Image: Pete Jenkins)

A family of seven claim they were forced to move into a tent after their landlord failed to deal with a rat infestation at their home.

Elysia Asensio and fiancé Christian Orme say they had no option but to flee their four-bed semi on health grounds. The couple claim they have not been offered a viable alternative, so they are instead having pay £800 a month to pitch their tent on farmland.

Elysia, 33, said: “We had rats running around the bedrooms and dying under our floorboards but they [the housing association] just left us to suffer. We pleaded with them to sort something out but they did nothing, so we had to pack up and move to the tent. It gets so cold at night and the children wake up with sore throats.”

The family rely on Universal Credit and Child Benefit after a health scare forced Christian, 36, to give up his job as a painter and decorator. Elysia and Christian, from Leicester, applied for a council house with the local council but claim their bid was rejected.

Elysia, Christian and their five kids (Pete Jenkins)

Elysia said: “The council said we made ourselves intentionally homeless, which means they cannot help us.” The mum of five added: “At the moment, we can’t see a way out.” A spokesman for Belgrave Housing Association insisted the case has been taken seriously from the start and he was “surprised and sad” to learn the family had decided to leave their home.

London flat for rent for £1,400 a month with bed tucked away in kitchen cupboard

He added: “Ensuring our tenant members have a good-quality home is one of our key priorities. We have installed some major improvements to address some of the repair issues. We have also instructed qualified pest controllers to visit on a number of occasions, and have been trying to work with Ms Asensio and her solicitors and agreed a schedule of works to further resolve repair issues.

“The main issue is despite a number of efforts, our contractors have been denied access to enter the property.” Elysia and Christian claim they barred builders after previous “botch job repairs” put the children at risk.

Saskia Rowlands