Syon Lane Family Says Lives Destroyed by Broken Council Promises

Accessibility adaptations not made due to 'lack of funds'

Imran and Afsheen Durrani in their home. Picture: Facundo Arrizabalaga/MyLondon

December 19, 2024

When Imran Durrani learned that his wife Afsheen had developed a number of health issues and organ failures, he temporarily quit his job to take care of her. With savings and council funding set aside to make their home in Syon Lanewheelchair accessible, the family believed their lives would eventually return to some sort of normality.

Now, seven years later, their family finances have been compromised after the council withdrew previously promised funding to adapt the property. In these years, Afsheen said she feels like she’s been a hostage in her own home, unable to easily leave the living room-turned-bedroom on the ground floor due to mobility issues.

Afsheen told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS), “I feel like a burden. Sometimes I think it’s better if I die. It’s like nobody cares, it’s so isolating because I can’t leave this room.”

Afsheen suffers from osteoarthritis, brittle bones, stage four kidney failure, high blood pressure, bone disease and is awaiting a double transplant for her kidneys and pancreas. As a result, she struggles to walk, and with the only bathroom in the house upstairs, her husband has to carry her up the stairs several times a day – if he is home.

Since 2017, Hounslow Council had been seeking ways to support the family and find them a new home. Currently, the couple are living in their lounge which doubles as a bedroom, with a majority of their belongings having to be kept under wraps in the garden because they can’t easily get up and down the stairs.

However, the council and the couple were unable to come to an agreement on a move, and the situation continued to deteriorate. The family were happy to move if a suitable option was provided, however ideally they wanted an extension on their current house to allow for a wet room and downstairs bedroom.

The family's belongings have to be kept under wraps in the garden. Picture: Facundo Arrizabalaga/MyLondon

Hounslow Council consistently rejected this citing costs, however in 2022 the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman found the council had allowed the situation to ‘drift’. They also identified fault on the part of the council for failing to advise the family they could apply for a Disabled Facilities Grant.

The council then approved a grant of £40,000 to undertake adaptations in the family home to allow for Afsheen to be able to move around the house in her wheelchair. However, last month (November 2024), the council revealed they ‘no longer have the funds available’ to undertake the work.

Imran Durrani told the LDRS, “We had the planning approval, we had builders bidding for the contract and we had the promise from the council to make the home suitable. But as soon as planning permission was given, we heard nothing. They haven’t given me a straight answer why this has happened.”

Afsheen said, “We have no social life anymore. We used to entertain our family and have them come over for dinners – now we can’t do that because where will they go? I’m living in a bed in a living room, with no space for guests. I feel ashamed when our family members have us over for dinner, because I can’t repay the favour.”

Prior to being a carer for his wife, Imran was a Revenue Officer for the council. However, he has now developed severe muscular problems due to having to carry his wife up the stairs to use the toilet and have a bath.

He told the LDRS, “It’s not just my physical health, but my mental health is in a bad way. The situation has caused me to become depressed, and I have been taken to A&E on a number of occasions because of this.

“I’ve lost everything. I had a good job, stable finances, and now… because the council haven’t adapted our house I’ve had to stay off work. We have no more savings, we have to claim benefits, and sometimes we don’t know if we can even afford bread for the week. My wife is always in tears. They’ve destroyed our life.”

When the family first applied for support in April 2017, the council suggested they move to an accessible property. It was found a stairlift would not be suitable or possible in their current property.

Throughout the years, the family claim that they were never shown a suitable property. They have two children together and believe they should not have to downsize.

Imran said, “They offered us a house on a graveyard. Of course we viewed it because we need to look at everything, but my wife and kids were terrified. It makes you laugh, but this is quite serious.”

Councillor Sue Sampson, Hounslow Council’s Cabinet Member for Housing Management and Homelessness, said, “The council is committed to championing equal access for all of our residents with disabilities and we understand the family’s frustration with ensuring their home is accessible.

“The council funding allocated to adapt the Durranis’ family home is currently under review and our teams are working hard to try and find alternative accommodation that meets the family’s accessibility requirements. We would like to apologise to the family for any confusion it may have caused.”

Philip James Lynch - Local Democracy Reporter