Erith family put in Travelodge after fire at flat

Ryan Dower, a resident of Kale Road in Erith, has raised concerns about the support his family has received from Peabody Housing Association following a fire at their home on August 29.

Damage of fire at Ryan's family home (Image: Ryan Dower)

Peabody relocated the family to the Woolwich Travelodge, but Ryan described the hotel conditions as "terrible," claiming they are not suitable for his disabled daughter’s needs.

"My son has autism, ADHD, and severe anxiety,” Ryan told the News Shopper.

"My daughter has recently been diagnosed with progressive cerebellar ataxia, which means she has very specific needs that are not being met."

Progressive cerebellar ataxia is a rare neurological disease caused by damage to the brain, resulting in poor muscle control and impaired coordination.

Conditions of Travelodge, where Ryan is currently staying (Image: Ryan Dower)

“Because of the conditions where we’re staying, I can’t lay her on the floor for the exercises she needs to do", Ryan added.

Ryan explained that he was at the hospital when their tumble dryer caught fire, and his wife managed to get their children and two dogs out safely, while also grabbing as many clothes as she could at the time.

Damage of fire at Ryan's family home (Image: Ryan Dower)

Ryan expressed his frustration over the financial burden his family faces during this difficult time.

"They [Peabody] have only paid for five meals – not six – so we have to cover the cost of the other meal ourselves. We also have to pay for parking."

A spokesperson for Peabody acknowledged the family's situation, and said it will be “reimbursing the extra meals and parking costs”.

A spokesperson added: "We appreciate this has been a really challenging time for Ryan and his family following last week’s fire.

“We arranged emergency hotel accommodation, which we know is not ideal or a lasting solution.

“We’re assessing the family’s home and hopefully they’ll be able to return quickly, once we’ve made repairs."

Damage of fire at Ryan's family home (Image: Ryan Dower)

Adding to their difficulties, Ryan explained the challenges around receiving essential equipment for his daughter’s care.

He said: "Today, we received a call saying our daughter’s special feeding chair is ready for delivery, and it shouldn't be moved around.

"We are a family of six in a two-bed property, so we're already overcrowded, and we don’t have a penny to our name.”

The Dower family (Image: Ryan Dower)

Peabody also addressed the difficulty of finding long-term housing, citing the shortage of large social homes in London: "If it’s likely to take longer, we’ll be doing everything we can to try and find suitable alternative accommodation, but this isn’t straightforward given the acute shortage of large family-sized social homes in London.

“More permanently, the family can bid on larger homes if they become available - but again, there is a shortage."

The spokesperson added: "We always try to treat people with kindness and respect, and provide financial support in difficult times, and this is what we’re doing in this case. We know it’s not easy for Ryan and his family, and our team is considering what more we can do to help."

A spokesperson for the Travelodge said: "Travelodge’s focus is on ensuring all of its customers have a high quality experience across its hotels. We are sorry to hear of Mr Dower’s concerns and strongly advise that, as Mr Dower’s booking was made through a third party, any issues regarding the accommodation requirements should be raised directly with the third party who made the specific booking.”