A MOTHER has been forced to sleep on the sofa with her baby while her other children and siblings share cramped bedrooms covered in mould.
The Sudanese family came to the UK after fleeing war in South Sudan and have lived on Lancashire Hill estate, Stockport, since 2021.
Lancashire Hill is rankedthe most deprived area in Greater Manchester.
All nine family members have shared just three bedrooms and one toilet since they moved to England in a resettlement programme.
Martha Machiek, 29, lives in a crowded council house with her four children, aged three, 10, 12, and 14, her two brothers, sister and niece.
One of her sons has medical issues that make it unable for him to share a room with anyone so he sleeps in the box room.
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Martha said: “Life is really hard on Lancashire Hill.”
“We have just one toilet, the children have to fight to use it, they are very stressed” she added.
According to Martha, who works as a carer, the cramped conditions are not the only problems the family face.
Since they moved in they have faced endless issues which StockportHomes, the social housing provider which manages their building, have not resolved.
The heating system was changed last year and now the carer cannot afford hot water so the family are forced to live without.
“If I put £20 in the children just go to brush their teeth and it’s gone, I couldn’t afford it so I just stopped, we only use it for a shower” Martha said.
They also have mould on the ceiling and windows of the three bedroom flat which Stockport Homes have failed to get rid of.
Martha says her children cannot breathe at night because of the mould, so she buys spray on amazon to treat it.
She claims every time she reports problems they fix one issue but ignore the others.
Unfortunately, the troubles faced by the family on Lancashire Hill stretch far beyond the interior of their home.
“I’ve had so many problems on Lancashire Hill over the years, we’ve experienced bullying, racial abuse, my children can’t play on that park.
“I’m so depressed, I’m off work now because I’ve been seeing my doctor about the whole situation” Martha said.
Opened in the late 1960s, the Lancashire Hill Estate alongside the rest of Stockport faces a huge demand for social housing.
Last year Stockport council revealed that people are facing a 12-year wait for social housing, with thousands of people on the housing register.
To make matters worse, the council did not receive any share of the government’s £600m recovery grant that was distributed based on deprivation levels last year.
Stockport Homes said it is aware of the issues residents face and takes action when problems are reported.
A spokesperson said: “We know that some residents on the Lancashire Hill estate are experiencing real challenges, and we’re sorry to hear how difficult this has been for people living there. Everyone deserves to feel safe, supported and listened to in their home.
“Where issues are reported, including reports of damp and mould, they are investigated and action is taken within statutory timeframes, and support is available for residents who are struggling or need additional help.
“Our focus is on supporting residents, improving day-to-day living conditions, and being open about the challenges while we work towards longer-term solutions.”
The social housing provider also said that it will be in touch with Ms Machiek to provide guidance and support with the cost of her heating.