Disabled tenant says she feels ‘deliberately ignored’ as housing left her with breathing difficulties
A Greenwich tenant says she feels 'deliberately ignored' by Greenwich council after complaining about poor air quality that has left her respiratory issues.
Zkiah Smith was placed at an estate in Greenwich after her previous housing was unsuitable, as it didn’t meet her mobility needs, but she says the estate has now left her with more problems.
Miss Smith now lives on the Ignatius Sancho Road estate in Kidbrooke and believes she is experiencing respiratory issues due to the proximity of an unshielded construction site next door.
Zkiah Smith pictured on her balcony with the construction site she complained about obstructing the view.
One of Miss Smith’s disabilities affects her lungs, and she says she “should have never been housed” at the estate, given the air quality concerns.
According to Smith, the construction site is supposed to be surrounded by protective cladding to shield nearby residents. She claims that only the front-facing side is covered, leaving the side facing her block exposed.
But reportedly, it’s only protecting the front of the building, and on the side facing Miss Smith’s estate there is nothing.
“I started getting sick and didn’t know why” Smith says recalling how she was vacuum cleaning twice a day when first moving in.
She became more concerned when the filters in her humidifier—meant to last eight months—began needing replacement every three weeks.
Zkiah Smith says this is an air filter that should have lasted eight months, after three weeks.
‘No one even knew they existed’
Smith says she wasn’t made aware that her flat was fitted with a Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery (MVHR) system, which is designed to circulate clean air.
“I didn’t even know it existed,” she says. “There are vents in the ceiling I can’t reach — they had black dirt rings around them.” Smith says she only learned about the system after six months of breathing difficulties and says she was told she was responsible for maintaining it. The ceiling-mounted unit remains inaccessible to her due to her disability, and she says she has not been offered any assistance by the council.
Residents’ survey reveals health issues
Frustrated by the lack of information, Smith created two informal surveys for fellow residents — one about awareness of MVHR systems, and another on self-reported health impacts.
She says the responses suggest confusion among neighbours and a pattern of symptoms, including:
10 residents with severe or newly developed asthma
8 with persistent coughs
4 with frequent, lingering illnesses
2 reporting chronic fatigue
1 dog with unexplained nosebleeds
“This made all my own symptoms make sense,” says Smith.
Several respondents also claimed they were encouraged to accept their property immediately after viewing it — something Smith describes as “highly unusual”.
Below is the affect the air quality has had on her dog, it has left him “dry and scratchy”.
A photo of Zkiah Smith’s dog, after living at the estate for six months.Zkiah Smith’s dog prior to moving to the estate.
Some residents also reported feeling pressured to accept their flats on the day of viewing. Smith describes this as “highly unusual” and says she’s still trying to get answers.
“The council isn’t responding. I feel like they’re ignoring complaints where people are asking for help due to their health declining.”
City News contacted Greenwich Council for comment but did not receive a response by the time of publication.
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HeadlineDisabled tenant says she feels ‘deliberately ignored’ as housing left her with breathing difficulties
Short HeadlineDisabled tenant says she was 'deliberately ignored' over unsafe housing
StandfirstA Greenwich tenant says she feels 'deliberately ignored' by Greenwich council after complaining about poor air quality that has left her respiratory issues.
Zkiah Smith was placed at an estate in Greenwich after her previous housing was unsuitable, as it didn’t meet her mobility needs, but she says the estate has now left her with more problems.
Miss Smith now lives on the Ignatius Sancho Road estate in Kidbrooke and believes she is experiencing respiratory issues due to the proximity of an unshielded construction site next door.
Zkiah Smith pictured on her balcony with the construction site she complained about obstructing the view.
One of Miss Smith’s disabilities affects her lungs, and she says she “should have never been housed” at the estate, given the air quality concerns.
According to Smith, the construction site is supposed to be surrounded by protective cladding to shield nearby residents. She claims that only the front-facing side is covered, leaving the side facing her block exposed.
But reportedly, it’s only protecting the front of the building, and on the side facing Miss Smith’s estate there is nothing.
“I started getting sick and didn’t know why” Smith says recalling how she was vacuum cleaning twice a day when first moving in.
She became more concerned when the filters in her humidifier—meant to last eight months—began needing replacement every three weeks.
Zkiah Smith says this is an air filter that should have lasted eight months, after three weeks.
‘No one even knew they existed’
Smith says she wasn’t made aware that her flat was fitted with a Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery (MVHR) system, which is designed to circulate clean air.
“I didn’t even know it existed,” she says. “There are vents in the ceiling I can’t reach — they had black dirt rings around them.” Smith says she only learned about the system after six months of breathing difficulties and says she was told she was responsible for maintaining it. The ceiling-mounted unit remains inaccessible to her due to her disability, and she says she has not been offered any assistance by the council.
Residents’ survey reveals health issues
Frustrated by the lack of information, Smith created two informal surveys for fellow residents — one about awareness of MVHR systems, and another on self-reported health impacts.
She says the responses suggest confusion among neighbours and a pattern of symptoms, including:
10 residents with severe or newly developed asthma
8 with persistent coughs
4 with frequent, lingering illnesses
2 reporting chronic fatigue
1 dog with unexplained nosebleeds
“This made all my own symptoms make sense,” says Smith.
Several respondents also claimed they were encouraged to accept their property immediately after viewing it — something Smith describes as “highly unusual”.
Below is the affect the air quality has had on her dog, it has left him “dry and scratchy”.
A photo of Zkiah Smith’s dog, after living at the estate for six months.Zkiah Smith’s dog prior to moving to the estate.
Some residents also reported feeling pressured to accept their flats on the day of viewing. Smith describes this as “highly unusual” and says she’s still trying to get answers.
“The council isn’t responding. I feel like they’re ignoring complaints where people are asking for help due to their health declining.”
City News contacted Greenwich Council for comment but did not receive a response by the time of publication.
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