Only able to crawl up and slide down stairs, a disabled woman in Kilburn claims the council is doing nothing to support her as she faces eviction from her home.

Brent & Kilburn Times: Disabled Olabisi Bakare must slide or crawl up and down stairs (Picture credit: Jonathan Goldberg)Disabled Olabisi Bakare must slide or crawl up and down stairs (Picture credit: Jonathan Goldberg) (Image: Jonathan Goldberg)

Olabisi Bakare, who lives alone in a private one-bedroom second-floor flat in Dunster Gardens, is appealing to Brent Council to move her into more appropriate housing.

The 52-year-old suffers from Sarcoidosis, a rare auto-immune condition affecting her organs, which in turn affects her mobility meaning she can fall over at any time.

She said she signed up to Brent’s housing register shortly after moving into the flat three years ago when she became ill.

She said: “I have some visual impairment and mobility restrictions and use a walking stick and wheelchair. I have had countless falls on the steps.

“I can longer climb the steps to my home and now crawl up and down 37 steps suffering terrible indignity when my neighbours go past me.“

Ms Bakare received an eviction letter from her landlord last September stating she must vacate her home in February, although she doesn’t know why.

A further letter has given a new date in July.

She added: “People need to know how Brent’s social services and housing put vulnerable people through hell.

“I’m now in the final five weeks countdown to being evicted and Brent housing have decided my case is not urgent and that crawling downstairs is okay, and by their actions say struggling down with my wheelchair, walking stick is one of those things.

“If break my neck in the process, then too bad.”

A spokeswoman for Brent Council said the average waiting time for a council house in the borough is 14 years adding: “The council is currently supporting Ms Bakare to source alternative accommodation using the ‘Find Your Home’ scheme, which is currently her best option.”

She said the scheme allows people at risk of homelessness to find accommodation anywhere in the country “as opposed to having to accept the council’s one statutory offer when they become homeless.”

“We will continue working with Ms Bakare to help her find suitable accommodation and we do genuinely understand her frustration but the reality is that we are in the middle of a housing crisis in London and Ms Bakare may have to accept accommodation outside of Brent where there is a greater supply of affordable housing.”