Mia Cane, her partner and their eight-month-old baby were placed in emergency accommodation by Birmingham City Council on April 29. Initially housed in a hotel blighted by a 'historic cockroach infestation' and bedbug bites, the young family was later moved to a temporary property on St Michael's Street in West Bromwich, Sandwell. But now the 18-year-old mum says they face a new set of dangers, including 'dangerously steep' stairs, a front door that is actually a fire exit, mould, a fly infestation and overflowing rubbish.
Moved from one crisis to another
Mia described the hotel as 'vile' and said the relocation to West Bromwich felt like being 'from one side of Birmingham to the other'. Speaking to BirminghamLive, she explained that while the hotel had its own horrors, the new accommodation has raised serious safety fears.
"At first we were in [a hotel] which was vile. They eventually moved us to West Bromwich, so from one side of Birmingham to the other. It's still dangerous - the stairs are huge, there's no lift. We are on floor one but I have fears that one day either me or my partner are going to be more tired than usual and accidentally slip and fall down the stairs with the baby, or what if I'm wearing the baby in her wrap and I miss a step and fall? They are very steep stairs, it's just not safe."
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The mum's concerns extend beyond the stairs. She pointed out that the property lacks a proper front door, saying: "There isn't an actual front door, it's a fire exit door which is actually stupid." She also alleged that mould in the bathroom has been covered up and that the family is constantly dealing with a fly infestation caused by bins outside the building.
Mould, flies and rubbish pile up
The situation outside the property has also become a health hazard. Photographs taken by the family show piles of rubbish stacked near the entrance, which they say attract flies and create an unsanitary environment. Mia explained that the rubbish is cleared every few days but quickly accumulates again.
"It's always like that. Every few days it will get cleaned and then it's back in the same state the same day."
The family's physical and mental health has suffered as a result. Mia revealed that she has lost hair and developed rashes due to stress, and that the earlier bedbug bites have taken a toll. She described the impact on her family life: "It has impacted me and my family both mentally and physically - mentally both of our mental health has been played with, not being able to do family life and just normal stuff. Physically we've had bites from bedbugs [at the hotel], I've lost hair from stress, developed rashes from stress too."
Band A housing priority offers little comfort
As a homeless family, Mia is on Band A of the council's housing register, which is the highest priority band. However, she said this does not speed up the process of finding a permanent home. "I should be band A as I'm homeless but that doesn't change how quickly I get there," she said.
After BirminghamLive contacted the council, the family's needs were reassessed. A council spokesperson confirmed that arrangements are being made to move Mia and her baby to alternative accommodation because the current property is not considered suitable due to the stairs leading to the apartment.
Council response and the wider housing crisis
A Birmingham City Council spokesperson said: "We recognise that Ms Cane's experience living in temporary accommodation has been difficult, and we are in contact to provide support to her family. We are committed to ensuring households placed in temporary accommodation are housed in safe and suitable accommodation. Where concerns are raised, we work with accommodation providers and partner agencies to investigate issues and take appropriate action as quickly as possible."
Regarding the rubbish, the spokesperson added: "We are aware of incidents of fly-tipping at Paradise Court. These issues have been reported to Sandwell Council along with information to help identify those responsible. Rubbish has been cleared from the site, and the situation continues to be closely monitored."
The council also highlighted the broader context of the housing crisis, saying: "The record number of households on the housing register, the lack of affordable homes, and a lack of funding have led to a national housing crisis that has left many families like Ms Cane's in a difficult situation living in temporary accommodation."
The family now awaits the promised move, hoping for a place where they can finally feel safe. Meanwhile, Mia's story sheds light on the struggles faced by thousands of families across the UK who are forced to live in unsuitable and sometimes dangerous temporary housing.
