A local councillor has described conditions in some temporary accommodation used by the Housing Executive as "Dickensian."
Sinn Féin councillor Kevin Campbell made the comment after being contacted by a woman living in a house at Edenmore Street in the Rosemount area of the city.
The woman, Orla Kelly, says the house is damp and "impossible to heat" and, as a result,
she is worried about the health of her two children, the youngest of which is 19 months-old and has bronchitis.
"I was put into this house two years ago as temporary accommodation while waiting for somewhere more suitable to come up and it has been awful," she says. "The house is always freezing and is impossible to heat. There is damp on the walls in the bedroom and at night you can see your breath in front of you.
"The walls are black with damp and every time I clean it, it just comes back again in a few weeks.
"I have two children and my 19 month-old son has bronchitis. He has been in the hospital five times since he was born and the cold in this house can't be helping him.
"There is a fireplace but I can't light the fire because the smoke comes out into the room and is bad for his chest. I went to see the Housing Executive and they told me to contact the landlord. I did and he said he would sort it but he never did," she said.
Colr. Campbell says the young woman should be moved as soon as possible. "When you look at the temporary housing stock in this city some is pretty good but in areas where the houses are older many have been allowed to fall into ruin.
"We are living in the 21st Century but this house is like something from the Dickensian era.
"I would call on the social development minister Margaret Ritchie to recognise that there is a major shortage of social housing in Derry and to investigate areas where new houses can be built," he said.
A spokesperson for the Housing Executive said: "The Housing Executive is aware of and is liaising continuously with Ms Kelly regarding her housing situation.
"Ms Kelly has restricted her areas of choice to just one area and unfortunately the Housing Executive has no suitable accommodation at present in this estate. We have offered
"Ms Kelly alternative temporary accommodation however she has declined this."
