Help Ela and Her Four Children Rebuild After Losing Everything Overnight

At 1:30 AM, Ela was woken up by the sound of what she thought was a waterfall inside her home. Just an hour earlier, she had gone to sleep with her children, completely unaware that the house was about to be destroyed from the inside out.

Water was gushing down the stairs. A pipe had burst with force, flooding every room, destroying walls, ceilings, floors, toys, clothes, furniture – everything.

Ela immediately called her landlord. His response?

“It’s the middle of the night. I’ll deal with it in the morning.”

By sunrise, the damage was catastrophic. The fire brigade arrived and declared the property uninhabitable – soaked structural beams, collapsing ceilings, and dangerous electrical exposure. Ela, her husband, and their four children, including two toddlers, were forced out of their home with nowhere to go.

They don’t have a car. They have no nearby family. And that night happened to fall during a major festival in Birmingham – every hotel in the area was fully booked.

The council acknowledged the emergency but said that no temporary accommodation was available. Their only offer: a general homeless hostel, unsuitable for children that young.

Not only her home – but her work, too

Ela had built a small photography studio in her home. It was her livelihood. Her props, equipment, and setup were all based there. Everything is now water-damaged or destroyed. And while some of her professional gear was insured, everything else – furniture, children's items, clothing, even nappies – is gone.

A devastating discovery: The property was rented illegally

In the middle of this disaster, Ela learned something shocking:

The landlord never registered the tenancy properly. He likely had no landlord insurance and no compliance with housing safety regulations.

Ela had no idea she was renting an illegal, uninsured property. She paid her rent on time, maintained the home, and even reported the leaking pipe over a year ago. But the landlord ignored it – and now refuses to help.

Why we’re raising funds

Ela and her family are now facing their second night with nowhere safe to sleep. The British Red Cross gave them a small emergency grant (£400) and a hot meal – but that help lasts only 24 hours. The council continues to say all emergency housing is currently full.

This fundraiser aims to help Ela:

Find safe short-term accommodation for her family

Replace urgent essentials (children’s clothing, nappies, food, hygiene products)

Begin restoring her small business so she can support her family again

Recover from this traumatic, life-shattering event

About Ela

Ela has lived in the UK for over 15 years. She has worked hard, paid her taxes, raised her children with love and care, and never imagined she’d be in a situation like this.

She is not at fault. She was misled, let down, and left vulnerable by a landlord who cut corners and ignored repeated warnings.

Every donation helps

No mother should be forced to sleep outside with her children because someone else failed to uphold basic responsibilities.

No family should lose everything overnight with no safety net.

Please help Ela and her family get back on their feet.

Every share, every pound, every kind word matters.

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.