Young mum unable to feed, bath or keep her children warm due to gas problem in temporary home provided by Milton Keynes Council

A young mum is in a desperate plight in temporary accommodation provided by Milton Keynes Council.

Sinead has a toddler aged two and a baby of 10 months but she is unable to keep them warm, feed them hot meals or even bath them.

Yet she says she’s getting more help from strangers on social media than she is from the council’s housing department.

However, after the Citizen intervened, the council agreed to move her and the children tomorrow to more suitable accommodation.

Sinead’s problems stemmed from the fact that the old-fashioned gas meter in the Emerson Valley house would not take the new EON payment cards.

"Because of this I’ve had no gas for five days. I’ve not been able to bath myself or my children, cook hot meals, or have any heating,” she said. "The weather is very cold right now.”

The property is owned by a private landlord and MK City Council has an arrangement to use it for temporary accommodation for homeless people.

Sinead said: “I contacted the council and they sent through a request for repair to my landlord. But all they did was send me an electric heater, which isn’t as very helpful because there’s single glazed windows in this house and it’s freezing

"I’ve asked the council if they could place me in a hotel but they said no - because it’s not important enough,” she claimed.

"I’m stuck in an ongoing circle with no help, I’m getting more help off people on a Facebook group, where they are saying they can cook me a hot meal and let me go round their houses for a bath.

"It seems ridiculous I’m being let without gas. Isn’t this illegal? ed

The Citizen contacted MK City Council on Sinead’s behalf yesterday (Monday) and asked if they could help. And today there was good news...

A spokesman told us: "We’re aware of the issue and expected the landlord to carry out the necessary repairs. The landlord has served notice on the property and we have arranged alternative accommodation for the tenant immediately.”

Sinead has thanked the Citizen and said she wants her story to be told to help young mums who may be in a similar situation in MK.