The health of a disabled husband and wife is deteriorating after their CityWest home in Paddington went unheated for 18 months.
Bravington Road tenants Hawa Jama, 61, and her husband Abdillahi Ahmad, 58, lived without proper heating and water for a year and a half despite enduring 14 maintenance visits from CityWest workers.
The parents-of-six both suffer from rheumatism. Mrs Jama also has osteoarthritis, liver problems and high blood pressure. Her husband has diabetes.
Mrs Jama said: "I'm suffering from stress, I can't sleep, and the house is too cold and damp. I have to wear so many clothes. This has made me crazy. It's made my health much worse."
After the boiler stopped working in July 2006, the couple claim 14 visits from CityWest workers have left carpets badly damaged after being ripped up repeatedly. Floorboards have been left exposed and workers' equipment has damaged treasured furniture, including a valuable bedframe.
The couple complained to the council many times and despite their boiler being fixed in February this year, the house has been left damp, cold and mouldy.
A CityWest spokeswoman said it was aware of the problem and and that compensation has been offered. She said: "We acknowledge that these problems are unacceptable and have now changed the way we monitor new gas installation work to ensure that such problems do not happen again.
"We are keen to rectify the problems with both damp and pest infestation and have been liaising with our resident as we have had trouble gaining access to the property."
