TfL put a stinking portable toilet near my front door – now I can't sell my house

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A father is fuming after a portable toilet for bus drivers was placed outside his property – which he says means he will be unable to sell.

Brett Kemp, 52, was ‘beyond shocked’ when he turned up at his house in Purley, south London at the end of July and found a toilet for Transport for London (TfL) bus drivers had been installed in front of it.

He claims neither he nor his neighbours were warned or consulted prior to the installation of the loo – which he said ‘stinks’ and looks ‘truly awful’. 

The situation has left the father-of-two ‘unbelievably stressed’ by the situation as he wants to sell the property because he can no longer afford the £1,800 monthly mortgage payments.

But since the toilet was placed there he has only had two viewings – leading him to believe his house has been rendered ‘unsellable’.

Having filed an official complaint, he was promised a ‘personalised response’ in 10 days.

More than a month later, he has still yet to receive a response, he claimed. 

He said: ‘No one is replying to me. It’s a mess.’

Mr Kemp could not believe it when he saw the portable toilet by his house

Mr Kemp could not believe it when he saw the portable toilet by his house

Mr Kemp was 'beyond shocked' when he found the toilet outside his house in south London

Mr Kemp was ‘beyond shocked’ when he found the toilet outside his house in south London

The father of two said he has been left 'unbelievably stressed' as he tries to sell his house

The father of two said he has been left ‘unbelievably stressed’ as he tries to sell his house

The father who has an oven cleaning business, said: ‘I just couldn’t believe it. I was beyond shocked when I saw it.

‘TfL put the toilet there without any consultation. There was no communication with me – or the neighbours. I think they only consulted with the school opposite.

‘I think it’s disgraceful what they’ve done. None of them would like it if this was their house – but because it’s not them – they’ve just washed their hands of it.

‘I wish they could understand that this is affecting someone’s life. It’s like living a nightmare.

‘I am unbelievably stressed by it all because I need to sell the property. I can’t afford to keep paying a mortgage amid these high interest rates if no one is living there.

‘But I’ve only had two viewings because obviously, no one wants a toilet outside their home. It obviously looks truly awful – and it stinks whenever someone opens the door.

‘Who wants a house with that? I wouldn’t. I’m going to have to see a doctor because I am so stressed about all of this.’

Mr Kemp, who has two teenage sons, said he ‘understands’ the need for a toilet for TfL bus drivers – but questions the way the local government organisation has gone about things.

He said: ‘It’s the end of a bus route so I completely understand the need for a toilet. But there are so many things TfL could have done.

‘They could have placed it at the other end of the turning point, near the woodland. They could have put a wooden shed or casing around it so it doesn’t look so out of place.

‘Or at least they could have turned the toilet around so the door doesn’t open directly by my front door.’

He claims he was not consulted for the toilet to be installed outside his London home

He claims he was not consulted for the toilet to be installed outside his London home

The toilet has since been flipped so that its door does not face Mr Kemp's house

The toilet has since been flipped so that its door does not face Mr Kemp’s house 

'No one is replying to me. It's a mess': said Mr Kemp as he waits a response from TfL

‘No one is replying to me. It’s a mess’: said Mr Kemp as he waits a response from TfL

Mr Kemp is still awaiting a 'personalised response' from TfL after the toilet was installed by the house

Mr Kemp is still awaiting a ‘personalised response’ from TfL after the toilet was installed by the house

Since the home owner voiced his concerns, TfL has flipped the toilet around – meaning the toilet door no longer faces towards the father’s house.

Mr Kemp, who lives five minutes away from the house, said he ‘can’t get over’ TfL’s alleged lack of communication with him.

He filed an official complaint about the situation on August 14 and was promised ‘a personalised response’ in 10 days.

However, more than a month later, he claimed he had received nothing. 

He said: ‘No one is replying to me. It’s a mess.

‘I really feel like they’re saying to me, ‘We wouldn’t have it outside our home. But you can have it outside your home.’

‘I have lost all hope that they are going to help me.’

A TfL spokesperson said: ‘It’s really important that bus drivers are able to access toilet facilities while working and these play a vital role in enabling everyone to travel safely.

‘We are always mindful of local residents when we install these facilities and choose locations near bus stops that are most appropriate, taking into account the need for access to pavements to be maintained.’




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