Antonia Wall said bites on her son’s skin were from bed bugs. Image: Antonia Wall
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A young mum is taking on ‘neglect’ in social housing after her son was bitten by bed bugs in her studio flat.
Antonia Wall, 24, launched an online petition that has racked up more than 37,000 signatures over the state of the supported accommodation where she lives with her one-year-old son in Bromley, south-east London.
Wall told the Big Issue that she was disappointed in landlord Southern Housing’s response to complaints over a lack of hot water, a bed bugs infestation, damp and mould and mice running through communal areas that she opted to launch a petition to trigger action.
Antonia Wall has turned to campaigning on behalf of social housing residents after negative experiences with her own home. Image: Antonia Wall
“It just makes me feel hopeless in the country to be honest. I obviously don’t plan to stay in social housing. I plan to get a mortgage and come out of it but it’s just not financially available to me at the moment, especially living around London,” said Wall, who has been living in the studio flat since March 2022.
“A lot of people rely on social housing in general to be able to get by and they’re just treating people inhumanely. It’s not just me, it’s quite obvious that there are thousands of others going through the same issue.”
Wall’s petition is calling for a full investigation into housing associations working with Bromley Council as well as action against landlords keeping homes empty. She is also asking for accountability for those violating housing and care regulations as well as supported housing reforms.
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Bed bugs in her flat and the communal areas of the property have left Wall and her son with bites on their bodies while the hot water was not working for three months, she said.
“Every time that I do get rid of the bed bugs in my own personal flat they come back due to it being a communal issue.
“Every single neighbour here has had bed bugs and they’re in the laundry room and everything. Despite me telling them it’s a communal issue, they still don’t follow through. They have booked sprays but they come and spray three out of seven flats.
“They’re not doing it efficiently. That’s just a personal spray for me and it just means that the bed bugs keep coming back and it’s a constant headache for me to have to deal with them. My son gets bitten quite often too, unfortunately.
“This accommodation is also a supported accommodation. I have autism personally and this has had a massive effect on me. Because, you know, I already struggle with day-to-day life in general, having to chase them constantly and deal with these issues, and not even having just basic human rights being met has caused a severe, massive impact on me and also my neighbours as well.”
Wall said the bed bug infestation at her home went beyond her flat. Image: Antonia Wall
Southern Housing have attended Wall’s property since she launched the petition to fix the issue with the hot water and the shower. The landlord said it had received no complaint about damp and mould from the tenant.
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“We’re extremely sorry about the issues Ms Wall has faced within her home and we’re committed to making things right,” said a Southern Housing spokesperson.
“Hot water and heating has been restored to Ms Wall’s home after our contractor visited last week. There had been miscommunication around attendance dates and we apologise for the delay.
“Pest control treatment was carried out in November 2024 and Ms Wall’s home was clear of bedbugs and mice on 3 January 2025. We immediately arranged for our pest control contractor to reattend following reports the problem had returned.
“They visited the building to carry out treatment on 15 April and are due back on 6 May and 3 June to complete this treatment. Southern Housing will cover the full cost of these visits.
“The housing waiting list is managed by the local authority, however, we’ll continue to support Ms Wall with her request to move home and the other issues she’s raised.”
Meanwhile, a Bromley Council spokesperson said: “We are aware of the difficult circumstances involved here and the residents are included, with a high priority, on our housing register. Unfortunately, due to the unprecedented challenges being faced across London in obtaining the required housing for residents who need it, it is difficult to secure alternative housing at pace.”
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Both Antonia Wall and her one-year-old son have been bitten, she said. Image: Antonia Wall
Under new legislation coming into effect later this year, social housing providers will have to respond to fix hazards to stricter timeframes.
Awaab’s Law, named after tragic toddler Awaab Ishak who died due to damp and mould in his Rochdale home, is due to come into force in October.
Wall said she believes the legislation will help social residents but the stigma many face is still making it difficult to speak out about disrepair.
“I definitely think that it will improve things but I think that these housing associations, not just Southern Housing, need to be quite heavily monitored by local councils,” said Wall.
“A lot of people that live in social housing are embarrassed to speak about these issues because they’re scared of being judged and it’s not fair. It affects people’s mental health. Everyone in my building is currently going through severe mental health issues and it’s definitely due to lack of support. It scares me every day.”
