Families in Brent have to wait up to 17 years for council homes, the authority has revealed.

The borough's huge waiting times were disclosed by Brent Council following the getwestlondon report on a family of six stuck in a one-bed Brent council property for nearly two years.

Somali nationals Safiya Nur Mohamed, 24, and her husband, Abdiasis Ahmed, 32, have been forced to live in a cramped and damp-ridden Harley Road property with their four small children since April 2016.

A Brent Council spokesman said: “When Safiya Nur Mohamed initially approached us, she was single and therefore the accommodation she was provided met her needs.

"Her family grew, but due to legal requirements, we could not take the growth into consideration until June 2017.

"We then reassessed her circumstances and updated the housing register accordingly.

Three of the children sleep in bunk beds - two sleep in the lower bunk and one in the top

“We accept that the property is not currently adequate for Mrs Safiya Nur Mohamed’s family's needs."

Their seven-month-old daughter suffers asthma and eczema made and is badly affected by the damp

The council went on to reveal that Brent residents in need of a council home may have to wait 17 years or more.

According to Brent Council the average waiting time for a two-bed property in the borough is 10 years.

While for a three-bedroom home there is an average wait of 15 years.

Residents in need of a property with four or more bedrooms are expected to have to wait at least 17 years.

Brent residents are expected to wait up to 17 years for a council home

According to Brent Council only one five-bedroom property became available in 2017 and there are currently 105 families on the waiting list for a home that size.

The Brent Council spokesman added: "The greater the number of bedrooms requested, the longer the wait because we have fewer larger properties in stock.”

On January 8 an impassioned crowd picketed Brent Council over its "unjust" housing services.

Brent cabinet member for housing and welfare reform, Councillor Harbi Farah, said: "The council has an open, fair and transparent allocation process for all its social housing.

"However, as is the case across London, the demand for social housing is much greater than the limited supply and the government’s welfare cuts are only making the situation worse.

"We help residents to find accommodation that suits their income and it is never acceptable for any resident to suffer sub-standard living conditions.

"This is why we are tackling rogue landlords, through our landlord licensing scheme, and have applied to the government to extend this. If individuals feel they have an issue with our housing services we are always happy to talk with them to resolve any issues.”

Are you affected by Brent Council's housing waiting list? Email: frederica.miller@trinitymirror.com with your story.

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