Chardanelle Thomas, 20, is living in a one-bedroom, first-floor council flat in Fairwater with her two children – a nine-month-old and a one-year-old. She has told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) the situation is “overwhelming” as, aside from irregular support from relatives and friends, she is often the sole carer of her children.
Lack of space forces family to share single bedroom
Due to the lack of space, she is forced to share the flat’s only bedroom with both children. “My nine-month-old still wakes throughout the night, so he’s waking my 21-month-old for half of the night when my 21-month-old is old enough to sleep throughout the night now,” she said.
“When he’s awake, all of us are awake because I haven’t got one baby to deal with, I’ve got two. When [one] can hear [the other] crying, the other baby starts crying.”
Stairs, mould and flooding add to struggles
Another reason she says the property is unsuitable is its first-floor location. Both children still use a pram, meaning she has to carry both prams up and down the stairs almost daily. “I’ve got to just take one pram down with two babies in my arms and then I’ve got to take the other pram down with two babies in my arms and put them both in their prams downstairs safely,” she said.
“That is a big struggle for me, I’m on my own. I’m not Wonder Woman, I don’t have wings.”
After the birth of her second child, she struggled with seizures, although she does not any more. The possibility that she might have a seizure while carrying her children on the stairs remains a “big worry” for her.
Other problems include mould and damp throughout the flat, particularly underneath the wallpaper in the living room and in the kitchen cupboards. She said she has had to throw out some of her and her children’s clothes and bath products because of the mould.
The flat also has a disability shower which she says is unsuitable for her children as they need baby baths. “Every time I bathe my children, my shower overflows,” she said.
Council response: property was suitable when allocated
A Cardiff Council spokesperson said: “We recognise that this is a difficult situation for the tenant and we sympathise with the challenges she is facing while caring for two young children.
“The property was considered suitable for the household’s needs when it was allocated in January 2024. Since then, the household’s circumstances have changed and following a recent review of Ms Thomas’s housing application, her housing priority band was increased in recognition of her circumstances.
“We have also recorded recommendations regarding the type of accommodation most suitable for the family’s needs.”
The council added that “family-sized social housing” in the city continues to “significantly exceed” the number of properties available and “housing allocations must be made in line with the Council’s allocations policy and assessed housing need”.
On the bathroom issues, the spokesperson said: “We are aware of concerns raised about the bathroom and have investigated reports of flooding. The shower system relies on a drainage pump which must be activated correctly to allow water to discharge.
“Advice on operating the system has been provided to the tenant on a number of occasions and there is no evidence that the bathroom facilities are defective or unsafe when used as intended.”
The council has made an appointment with Chardanelle to investigate mould and damp in the property, stating it “remain committed to fully assessing these concerns”. The local authority said: “We remain committed to working with the tenant, keeping her housing circumstances under review and providing advice and support while her housing application remains active.”
