Family home infested with 'sewage', flies and rats

"When it rains outside, it rains inside," Ms Brito says

A carer has had to send her children to live with their godmother after her south London home became swamped with raw sewage, flies and rats.

Drains in the garden of Yaneysi Brito's three-bedroom home in New Cross have been blocked for the past two years.

Every time it rains, Ms Brito said, water enters her home and falls near the electricity sockets, which makes her fear for her daughters' safety.

Lewisham Homes, which manages the property, has apologised.

Yaneysi Brito has been complaining about the issues to Lewisham Homes for two years

Ms Brito said raw sewage had spewed out of the garden, which Lewisham Homes described as "grey water".

BBC London's Greg McKenzie, who has visited the property, said there was a strong smell of mould throughout the home.

The airing cupboard was full of black mould as was the bathroom, and a sofa had to be thrown away because it was infested with mice.

"We have been suffering here," Ms Brito said, who has two children aged eight and three.

"It's been really horrible. We were happy for the first three years but the last two have been so bad with the mould and then with the garden, the drain has been blocked for about 19 months."

'I don't know what will happen'

There have also been problems with the roof, meaning when it is "raining outside, it is raining inside my house".

The mother-of two said it caused her to fear an electrical fire.

"I thank God that my children are not here," she said.

I sent them to their godmother because of the situation. I had to leave my house in the middle of the rain because I don't know what will happen.

"No human being should be living this way at all because like me, there'll be many families out there that have the same situation," she added.

Ms Brito says her electricity sockets have water falling near them when it rains

Ms Brito said she had been complaining about the blockages for more than two years.

However Lewisham Homes only sent someone to inspect the home and look at the drains on Monday after it was told that BBC News would be visiting the property.

She said has been been offered a one night stay in a hotel but would like to be rehomed.

"The only thing they can say is sorry. Sorry is not going to sort out the solution," she added.

Alison, her next door neighbour, has had the same issues.

“On Sunday when the storm hit, water started coming into the children's bedroom,” she said, adding the dirty water in the garden had ruined all the furniture and children's toys.

In a statement, Lewisham Homes' CEO Margaret Dodwell apologised for the impact delays in carrying out repairs have had on Ms Brito and her family.

"We have offered alternative accommodation to the family; the blocked greywater drain in the back garden has been cleared today and the issue with the manhole in the front garden has been resolved.

"We are aware of an ongoing issue with a leak from the bathroom and following repairs to the roof in 2020, further investigation is required as to what is causing the water ingress inside the property after heavy rainfall.

"We are committed to resolving the issues raised as quickly as possible and repairs operatives were onsite today and will be returning tomorrow."

Follow BBC London on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to [e-mail]