A couple who both developed chronic lung diseases after years in a mouldy council flat were left devastated when they were offered a new home, only for the council to take it away again.
Hackney Council claims it “mistakenly” told Chris Henriques and Sarah Shepherd it had a permanent new place for them to live.
They even received an email from mayor Caroline Woodley, telling them their housing woes were over.
They packed up all their belongings, had a care plan drawn up for the new address and even switched GPs to one nearer their new home.
“We couldn’t have been happier,” said Sarah. “They said the paperwork would be done that week. I went out, bought boxes and a great big ball of bubble wrap.”
But almost two months later, their hopes have been dashed. The council now says it offered them the property by mistake.
“I’m absolutely fuming,” Sarah said. “No one has taken responsibility. Where is the decency for someone to pick up the phone and ring us and say, ‘I’m really, really sorry’?
“In the meantime, we’re living out of boxes and bags.”
The couple say nobody has ever properly informed them of the error. They found when they phoned the council and an employee found it written in computer notes.
Chris Henriques and Sarah Shepherd said their flat in Beck House was plagued by black mould which just kept coming back. Both are under hospital care for lung diseases (Image: Sarah Shepherd)
Mouldy Flats
In August 2023, the Hackney Gazette exposed terrible conditions at Beck House, Stoke Newington.
Our first story was about Chris, a painter for Tottenham Hotspur, and bank worker Sarah.
Chris had developed a rare lung disease linked to “moisture-damaged buildings”, which left him coughing up blood. Sarah was also under hospital care for a lung condition.
After we published shocking pictures of the pair’s mouldy home, a string of other Beck House residents allowed us into their homes.
Some said the council had known they had conditions affecting their immune systems, yet housed them into the mouldy block anyway.
Chris and Sarah commissioned an expert report, which deemed their flat unfit for human habitation.
Hackney Council promised upgrades to the building.
In May, Chris and Sarah viewed and accepted a new two-bedroom flat, even receiving an email from Hackney mayor Caroline Woodley, who said she hoped they would be happy in their new 'permanent' home (Image: Charles Thomson)
Hope
Since then, Chris’s condition has become so debilitating that he struggles to walk more than 20 steps, Sarah said.
“It’s about him now managing it to make his lifespan longer,” said Sarah.
In May, they were invited to view a two-bedroom property in Mabley Street, Homerton, which they accepted.
Days later, an email arrived from Hackney mayor Caroline Woodley.
“I have made enquiries with the housing services, who have confirmed that a two-bedroom property has been found for you and your husband on a permanent decant and the paperwork has been put in place,” she wrote.
“I have been advised that you have viewed and accepted the property so I do hope that you are happy with the result.”
But then, said Sarah, the housing team stopped responding to calls and emails.
When they finally reached the man who showed them around, he told them he didn’t want to be “the bearer of bad news”, so they should contact the lettings team.
The couple eventually filed a formal complaint. During a phone call on Monday, July 8, their complaints handler read from a council computer that the property had been offered “in error”.
Hackney Council promised major improvements to Beck House last year, after a series of stories by the Hackney Gazette revealed numerous residents living in damp, mouldy flats (Image: Charles Thomson)
What does the council say?
The council claims the Mabley Street home was only intended as a temporary solution while it carried out works at the couple’s Beck House bedsit.
In May, the council had settled a no-win-no-fee lawsuit brought by the couple over the state of their accommodation, paying £2,500 compensation and promising repairs.
“Unfortunately, as part of the discussion around this offer, a permanent move was mentioned in error,” said Steve Waddington, the council's strategic director of housing.
“We apologise for any disruption and upset this error has caused. We will be offering Mr Henriques and Ms Shepherd another temporary home soon to enable us to undertake the work to their home.”
It said they could continue to bid for a new property in the meantime.
“That’s not acceptable,” said Sarah. “We have lost out on over eight weeks of bidding because they said the property was ours.
“You don’t ‘accidentally’ tell someone that, or tell the mayor; allow Christopher to inform his consultant… change GP for Christopher so it’s closer to the property.”
Hackney said it takes damp and mould “extremely seriously” and was “working hard to resolve this situation” at Beck House.
“We understand how frustrating the situation has been for Mr Henriques and Ms Shepherd and are sorry for the impact this is having on their lives,” said Mr Waddington.
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