A mother's struggle in temporary housing

Three-year-old Ezaan has been homeless his entire life.

- Sammy Gecsoyler Jessica Murray

Instead of making memories in a childhood home, he has spent his formative years stuck in hotels and a cramped student dorm.

His mother, Sumaira Fareed, was made homeless over three years ago. She was asked to leave her single persons hostel - where children were not allowed to live - after giving birth. She tended to her newborn for a month in hospital as the pair had nowhere else to go.

They were eventually placed into Oscott Gardens in Birmingham, which once housed students before being bought up and converted into temporary accommodation by the city council, who also manage it.

The sprawling complex, about four miles from Birmingham city centre, houses hundreds of homeless families. Those living inside face strict rules that would not go amiss in a low-security prison: a 10pm curfew and no visits from friends or family. Residents cannot spend more than two nights away from their room or they lose their accommodation.

The Guardian has relied on images and testimony from residents to assess the conditions inside. They painted a grim picture with claims of mice infestations, cramped rooms and antisocial behaviour.