A MOTHER claims that she and her children have been threatened with eviction by Slough Borough Council after she refused to move into a house ‘stinking of damp’.

The mum-of-three, 36, who wants to remain anonymous, had previously lived in a flat close to the High Street for six years, until a sudden rent hike of £300 left her unable to foot the bill.

After two months in temporary accommodation, Slough Borough Council (SBC) finally offered her a two-year lease on a three-bedroom house in Lewins Way, Cippenham. However, she refused, fearing for her children’s health.

She said: “Even before I got in I could see the problems. The window frames were covered in black stuff. When I got inside, the whole place was stinking of damp. The agent kept saying ‘Oh, this will all be cleaned, this will all be cleaned’.

“But the entire house was in a terrible state of repair. There were cobwebs and rat droppings. The sinks were rusty, and the electricity sockets had wires hanging out.”

An SBC spokeman said: “We have been working hard to support this family. We made a reasonable and timely offer of accommodation, which is as close as possible to where (the family) currently lives and took into account the proximity of her GP and the school her children attend. We also offered to undertake any reasonable remedial work on the property. Despite our efforts, (she) refused to move into the accommodation despite it being made clear she would be making herself homeless in doing so.”

Since she refused the property, the mother and her three children face being evicted from their temporary accommodation on Monday, July 24.

Slough Children’s Services has also been notified of her housing situation and her fears over her children being taken away.

The council spokesman said: “There is a limited supply of suitable property in the borough and every effort has been made to find this family accommodation that meets their needs. (She) has the right to appeal our decision, if she wishes to do so.”

A Slough Children’s Services Trust spokeswoman said: “We do not comment on individual cases.

“It is not Trust policy to take children into care from homeless families."