(Isstories Editorial):- Northolt, Middlesex Mar 14, 2025 (Issuewire.com) – A West London man living with a lung condition told My London about his treatment from Ealing Council, which has been ‘abusive and oppressive’ as he faces a daily battle with mould and rats in his property.
Errol Baptiste, 60, has been living in a rented bungalow in Northolt for over 4 years since November 2020, having been placed there by Ealing Council because of concerns about his previous accommodation.
Errol Baptiste began making videos about the housing disrepair problems, complaining about the state of the housing, which Ealing Council tried to claim harassment in their false pretext and they failed of course. Ealing Council in their responses are being vexatious. The Council victimized Mr Baptiste for reporting damp in November 2021, which they were abusing him of his human rights on the grounds of his multiple disabilities.
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The resident has lived in the borough for almost 37 years since March 1988, most recently in Northolt since November 2020. Before that, Errol Baptiste had been living in a tiny room that was 3.88 square metres for 23 years from August 16, 1997, to November 23, 2020. Incredibly, Mr Baptiste claims, despite Ealing Council placing him at the illegal property there, they had not visited during that time, and when they eventually found the room let from Brian John Watson, the private rogue landlord operated without an HMO License at all material times, which Ealing Council moved Mr Baptiste out.
Errol Baptiste moved to his current one-bedroom Northolt bungalow in November 2020. One year later, he raised his concerns with Ealing Council about the mould and streuctural condition of the property in November 2021.
Despite several attempts to contact the Council and ask for help very earlier in November 2021, the Local Authority did nothing. According to Errol, surveyors were sent to the property to examine the condition of the home-however no work was ever carried out.
In Errol’s bedroom, mould has spread across the walls in every corner, above his bed. The wallpaper has been peeling off for sometime, and the mould has also grown in the living room, kitchen, and the bathroom.
In addition to the damp, Errol Baptiste told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS): ”There is an infestation of rats which have been able to enter the property through structural vulnerabilities and holes in the walls that have been left unrepaired by Ealing Council for years. This has led to the rodents leaving droppings in the loft.”
Council Ordered to Apologise by Ombudsman
A report by the Housing Ombudsman found severe maladministration in the way Ealing Council handled complaints made by Errol Baptiste. The report states: ”The Council could not demonstrate that it handled the complaint with necessary sensitivity and customer focus on the matter”.
Despite Errol Baptiste raising his disabilities and lung condition to Ealing Council, this was never updated on the council system, which they were in breach of the Data Protection Act 2018, Section 45, Section 94, and GDPR 2018, Article 15 for over 35 months since November 2021.
Errol Baptiste told the LDRS: ”Ealing Council never considered my health and wellbeing as a resident, and they still don’t care. Ealing Council is abusing my mental health and my physical health in keeping me in this mouldy property”.
Ealing Council had a right of reply to Local Democracy Reporting Service and failed to provide any form of defence as a corporate organization.
Five instances of maladministration were found against Ealing Council relating to the response to Errol Baptiste’s concerns around quality of works, the response to reports of mould, response to concerns of staff conduct of the general handling of complaints, and knowledge and information management.
On January 28, 2025, the Housing Ombudsman ordered Ealing Council by apologising to Errol Baptiste, pay compensation, and to conduct an internal practice review. It must tackle the serious issues of mould and ventilation with urgency.
However, Ealing Council did send its fourth surveyor to visit the property by turning up for the appointment, which access was granted, and no further work has been undertaken on the property did not presented its ‘action plan’ to Errol Baptiste.
News links on housing disrepair websites
https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/tenant-rats-mould-home-northolt-ealing-council-victorian-slum-b1215329.html Evening Standard March 8, 2025
https://www.mylondon.news/west-london-news/i-live-squalor-mould-rats-31142529? My London March 7, 2025
https://londondaily.com/tenant-faces-health-risks-in-council-housing-as-complaints-go-unaddressed
Errol Baptiste’s Show on YouTube
[email protected]
+44(0)7598782945
http://www.youtube.com/@errolbaptiste
This article was originally published by IssueWire. Read the original article here.
