A Tenant’s Tale: Struggles Amidst Neglect and Disrepair

Catrin, the 28-year-old mother of two, has lived for years in a rented house in Rhondda Cynon Taf, and the walls of her home bear witness to this neglect. “Woodworm, I’ve got. Damp and mould are all over my windows,” she states with a voice of tiredness. However, the landlord has been unresponsive to repeated pleas for repairs, leaving the family trapped in a circle of disappointment and despair.

The bedroom of her daughter is the one that is neglected and dangerous since it has an old and loose window frame that can cause harm to her child. “I must make sure she can’t go to the window by keeping her curtain closed,” Catrin admits, her maternity instincts are at odds with the difficult situation she faces.

“I must make sure she can’t go to the window by keeping her curtain closed,”

The signs of neglect are present in every nook and cranny of the house, from the mouldy bathroom ceiling to the damp kitchen cabinets, making it difficult to store food regularly. Catrin’s distress is clearly expressed when she talks about her daughter’s frequent sicknesses and the fact that their house is not even remotely a home.

Through nowhere else to turn, Catrin has made the last chance to withhold the rent to force the landlord to do something about it. However, the cost of her battle is not limited to her rights only as her family is also affected, with her children having to live in the confinement of a house that cannot provide even the most basic comforts.
Through Catrin’s story, we are reminded of the terrible price of neglect and indifference and are faced with a clear contradiction to the sense of security and stability that a home should provide.
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