A recovering addict has claimed the council “doesn’t care about vulnerable people” after being thrown out of temporary accommodation.

Sam Smith was evicted from a private rental property in Edmonton and put into temporary accommodation in neighbouring Haringey in July – and he has now been forced to moved out once again.

The 43-year-old, who is in recovery from drug and alcohol addiction, said the council took double the amount of time it should have taken to decide whether it had a duty of care toward him.

In the meantime, Mr Smith – who has a heart condition and mental health problems – said he was given a poor-quality bedsit to live in.

He said: “They put me somewhere without a working toilet, shower and cold tap.

“The bathroom and kitchen sinks were blocked, the boiler broken, it had no curtains, a broken bed and rats running freely around the property.

“The whole place smells of cannabis and drug deals are made outside the property.”

Mr Smith claimed the staff in the council’s housing department were “unhelpful and unpleasant”, and he was told to fill out forms he had already filled in several times.

He said the staff were dismissive about the maintenance issues in the bedsit and kept him waiting for hours at an appointment.

Mr Smith said: “They don’t care about vulnerable people.

“They were quite happy to evict me on my birthday, a day after I had been to a hospital appointment. That is the level of empathy they have for other people.”

Mr Smith said he managed to have his stay in temporary accommodation extended for three weeks because he “stood up for himself” and sought legal advice.

Councils have a duty to provide ongoing accommodation for eligible people who have a priority need and are unintentionally homeless.

Mr Smith said Enfield Council eventually told him he could go back and stay with his parents in Cornwall.

But he said he had told council staff he did not get on with his parents, who live “in the middle of nowhere” and would not want him to move back home with them.

Mr Smith added that he would find it very hard to arrange appointments with a psychiatrist and doctor if he moved to Cornwall – especially because he does not drive.

He claimed the council told him it would extend his stay in temporary accommodation if he was accepted to be put on a three-month waiting list for assisted housing – but did not stick to its promise.

A letter from the council mentioned he was not currently using drink or drugs – but Mr Smith warned he could be at risk of a relapse.

Mr Smith is seeking assistance from Haringey Council and claimed he would be “out on the streets” if they could not help him.

Enfield Council said it does not comment on individual cases.