A HOUSING body has been criticised for failing to respond to complaints about raw sewage which has been spewing out of one of its drains for more than six weeks.

The leak at the rear of a block in Telford Close, Walthamstow, was first reported in early September but it is claimed that the Family Mosaic group has failed to even send someone to look at it.

Disabled woman Kathleen Adams, 30, said she and her nine-year-old son felt like prisoners in their own home due to the stench.

She said: "My son can't go out and play in the garden and we have to keep all the windows closed.

"It's disgusting".

Ms Adams, who suffers from mobility problems, initially contacted Thames Water about the problem and said they came round almost immediately.

But after a short investigation the firm said the drain did not belong to them and so was not their responsibility.

Ms Adams is a tenant of London and Quadrant (L&Q) so she also contacted them, but  L&Q said that the drain belonged to Family Mosaic, which also owns properties at the block.

An L&Q spokesman told the Guardian that Family Mosaic were informed of the problem on September 3.

However Ms Adams says since then no-one has visited the block despite repeated calls.

She said: "They just can't seem bothered to even look at it. It's a big problem and all the neighbours are affected too.

"The smell is so bad and there's concerns about the health risk. But it seems like no-one cares.

"Of course it's disgusting what has happened but it's disgraceful that they don't have the decency to even show up."

Family Mosaic did not respond to the Guardian's requests for a comment.