Vulnerable residents left without water for 12 days by housing group

Residents of an apartment block owned by London's largest housing association have spoken of their despair after being left for 12 days without running water during repairs to a leaking supply pipe.

- Anna Tims

Social housing tenants and leaseholders in the block of 12 flats in Sidcup, south-east London, said they were unable to shower or clean for nearly a fortnight when their water supply was shut off by L&Q Group contractors without warning last month. Some, including elderly and disabled people, said they were forced to live in saturated rooms with black mould while waiting for the leak to be resolved.

Anna Petrova, 76, (not her real name), said she had to use the showers at her local leisure centre, a 20-minute walk away, and was unable to clean her flat, which had become infested with mould.

She said: "Thames Water has been delivering bottled water daily, but residents had to carry it up flights of stairs from the entrance hall, and it was not enough to wash up or flush the toilet.