Residents at a Rainham housing block have been left without heating and running water after a leak.


Around seven properties are thought to be affected by the incident at Merlin Court on the Orchard Village estate, managed by Clarion Housing.


One of the residents, Samantha Lammin, told the Recorder that the leak began on December 3 but "turned into a waterfall" on Monday.


She said that it was coming from a water cupboard on the highest of the three floors and was going right through to the bottom floor.


Residents reported it to Clarion, who have confirmed that the water supply to the block had to be switched off while the issue with the water mains is fixed.

Housing Leak New
Samantha, who lives on the second floor and has three children between three and nine, said she has been without hot water since around 1am on Tuesday.


She added: "I could not do washing and we are all struggling to flush our loos.


"Obviously they (Clarion) are doing their best but in this situation I feel a bit lost.


"With three children, it is very worrying. We could run out of water.


"The windows in the hallway are steaming up. There is no ventilation. We are going to be stuck with mould and damp."


Another resident, Samantha Miah, said she was really upset about what had happened.


A mother-of-three, she said that while some residents had heating, some did not.


"I want to cry. I cannot sanitise my hands, I cannot wash clothes, I cannot flush the toilet.


"I cannot go another 24, 48 hours with no water. We are in the middle of a pandemic."


Councillor Michael Deon Burton, ward councillor for South Hornchurch, said: "Families have a right to expect a safe and healthy environment in which to live.


"There is no water for cooking or washing. In these days of the Covid-19 pandemic where good personal hygiene is essential, this is wholly unacceptable."


A Clarion spokesperson confirmed that bottled water and electric heaters were delivered last night to households who needed them.


They added: “The safety and wellbeing of our residents is our top priority and we have been on site working to isolate the problem which has occurred on the water mains.


"Residents can rest assured we are working hard to have the heating and hot water restored as soon as possible for them.


“We don’t expect this temporary issue will create any damp and mould but if it does we will rectify it.”