The father of an autistic son has hit out at Camden Council as he continues to fight for safe housing for his family.

Kimmiah Fennelly, who lives in a one-bedroom flat in West Hampstead with his son and daughter, says he has been battling to be moved for more than four years.

After his son, who is non-verbal, put his head through a window in 2020 the council said it would offer the family a direct transfer "when one becomes available".

But all those offered were in postcodes deemed unsafe by Kimmiah, who was moved countless times across the borough as a child.

Having successfully battled drug issues, he now believes he is being "punished" because the council has files on him and know why certain postcodes are "off limits".

Last week a friend told Kimmiah of an empty three-bedroom property in Hampstead, but when he contacted the council he was told it had been reserved for another family.

"They offered me homes in Queen's Crescent, Somerstown and Rowley Way, which are unsafe, and when I find somewhere I want to live, West Hampstead or Hampstead, my area, it's gone to someone else. Where's my offer?" he said.

A narrow spiral staircase leading to an autistic boy's bedroom, which he's fallen down multiple times A narrow spiral staircase leading to Kimmiah's son's bedroom, which he has fallen down multiple times (Image: Nathalie Raffray)

"I'm being punished for something. Something's not right.

"The most suitable place comes up and it's in my area, it's just too coincidental it's been offered to another family. They want to offer me s***holes."

The local authority has since said he should bid for a property along with 5,000 other families in the borough, which Kimmiah says is going back on the council's original promise.

To add to his woes, he claimed Camden left the door to his property unsafe in February and did not come back until June to fix it. 

Kimmiah's severely autistic son put his head through the kitchen window which was not repaired for monthsKimmiah's severely autistic son put his head through the kitchen window which he says was not repaired for months (Image: Kimmiah Fennelly)

With his sister's help he has filed a formal complaint against the council.

He said: "I've waited for so long. I feel like crying, my children are suffering. I don't know why they are doing this."

A Camden Council spokesperson said it has been working with Kimmiah to find his family a suitable home.

They added: “Overcrowding is a serious issue affecting many families in Camden and across London with almost 5,000 families in Camden waiting for larger properties. With the lack of family sized homes available, it’s increasingly challenging to find larger properties for families as quickly as we would like.

“We have spoken with Mr Fennelly and will be visiting his property to discuss any repairs that are required.”