A FAMILY of four is living in one room at a bed and breakfast after being moved out of a flat housing chiefs said was "unfit for human habitation".

David Phillips, and partner Nicola Mitchell, both 19, were evicted from their Torfaen flat for rent arrears, but say they stopped paying their rent in protest at the poor condition of their council flat.

The couple, who have a one-year-old son Jack and a newborn baby, Kieran, were evicted from their flat at Caradoc Road, Cwmbran, on August 22.

But a report from a senior environmental health officer for Torfaen council, on August 18, confirmed the property was unfit for human habitation, citing a rubbish-filled blocked drain, unlit and slippery stairs, an unventilated bathroom and a gas fire which may be a source of deadly carbon monoxide.

The the family is now living in one room of an Abergavenny bed and breakfast while the council investigates their eviction.

The couple claim the problems included:

* A blocked drain outside the kitchen window

* The gas fire was loose on the wall

* A single plug socket in the kitchen

The family was evicted for rent arrears totalling almost £900, but by pleading homelessness were temporarily rehoused in the Black Lion Hotel, in Abergavenny. They are now taking legal action against Torfaen council's housing department.

Mr Phillips said: "We'd stopped paying our rent because of the problems.

There was a flood in August from the flat above and all the walls were full of mould in every room and all the electric sockets had water dripping out of them. Now we're in a room with three single beds and a single wardrobe. It's a nice B&B but it's just not suitable."

Torfaen council's head of housing strategy Adrian Huckin said: "They were evicted because of rent arrears and have been given temporary accommodation out of the area.

"We have fulfilled our interim duty but we don't know if we have a duty to rehouse them. The situation with the previous flat is being investigated at the moment. We are rapidly coming to the conclusion of that because we don't want to keep anyone in a B & B any longer than we have to."