The 22-year-old student became homeless overnight after the flat she was renting caught fire in New Cross, Lewisham on August 20.
Aisha and her flatmate, Yousra, 21 are currently staying with a friend outside of London while they try to balance out returning to university, job interviews and finding somewhere new to live.
“We’ve just been looking at so many different properties and nothing’s worked out just because of the money they demand and it’s just mad.
“It’s crazy, but we’ll just have to figure something out,” Aisha explained.
Around 100 firefighters and 15 fire engines were called to tackle the blaze which had broken out at the block of flats on Hatcham Park Mews.
The London Fire Brigade (LFB) said there were no reports of any injuries, but the fire has left all of the residents homeless and their personal belongings destroyed.
Part of the first floor and most of the second floor of the block were damaged and the building’s roof was also destroyed.
The fire is believed to have been accidental but the exact cause remains under investigation.
On the night of the fire, Aisha and Yousra sought refuge in nearby pub, the Five Bells before heading to Wavelengths Leisure Centre in Deptford, which acted as a rest centre throughout the night.
The council then placed both of them in a hotel in Greenwich and provided them with some emergency toiletries for the night.
Aisha said: “The next morning we woke up really early just to get some fresh underwear because we’ve not got anything. Just put yourself in that position, you’ve got your work clothes on from the day before, you’ve now woken up and you go to Primark for the cheapest options.
“So we were like let’s just grab something and then tonight the council is going to help us.”
Aisha and Yousra remained hopeful that they were going to be supported with finding alternative accommodation because “the way everyone spoke when the fire happened, they made it sound like they were going to help us as soon as possible and we were going to be re-homed”.
“But then when we did contact our landlord they said they do not have any legal duty to provide us with anything and we will have to go back to the council.
“It became a constant fight between going back to the council and going back to the landlord,” Aisha went on to say.
A Lewisham Council spokesperson said: “We know this has been a very distressing time for all residents involved in the fire and we’re sorry if it has been compounded with any confusion about the support available from the council.
“Our officers on the scene and in our out-of-hours homelessness team worked very hard to make sure no one was left on the street following the fire. We provided a rest centre and everyone eligible was offered the support we were able to give according to our legal duties.”
After returning to Wavelengths for a second day, Aisha and Yousra say they were told to call the council’s homelessness emergency number.
Aisha said: “I was told someone will call back in a few hours. I never got that call. To this day, I never got that call.
“My family is 4.5 hours up North and we’ve got to figure out how we get our belongings back and when we’re going to have access to the flat and what we’re going to do now. It’s just a mess.”
After they didn’t receive a call back, the council placed the flatmates in a hotel for a second night.
Aisha said: “We’ve been looking at flats since the fire happened but after that [first] weekend because we were so caught up with the idea that the council will help us and the landlord will help us, after the second or third day we realised we had to do it ourselves.”
Aisha and Yousra have set up a fundraiser to help replace essential items they lost in the fire and cover basic living expenses while they look for a new place to live.
At the time of publication (September 9), the fundraiser has received £1,160 in donations out of a £3,500 target.
Yousra said: “I do believe the only way some people have been getting any funding is through private donations through other families or their colleagues.
“So it’s been really lovely they sympathise with us and have been funding us with their money. It shows that the community in New Cross is tight-knitted.”
The LDRS has also approached the estate agents which managed Aisha and Yousra’s flat on behalf of their landlord, for comment.
A Lewisham Council spokesperson said: “People often choose to stay with friends in these situations and thankfully this was an option for Aisha and Yousra.
“We will explore what options are available to them and get in touch to explain what we can and cannot do to help. Our homelessness team is contactable on 0808 178 0939.”
