A Hatfield woman is "distraught" after her belongings were removed from her council home. 

Mum-of-two Keisha McCalla was getting her house in High Dells plastered by council contractors in July last year, when a removal team mistakenly threw away her family’s belongings instead of rubbish. 

A contractor called Keisha to give her the news.

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She said: "For a split moment I thought he must be joking but on entering it was true. In that instance it felt like my entire life had been taken." 

Welwyn Hatfield Times: Keisha's home left empty after the removal team had thrown away her belongings.Keisha's home left empty after the removal team had thrown away her belongings. (Image: Keisha McCalla)

A spokesperson from Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council said: "We appreciate that this must have been an awful experience for Ms McCalla.  

"The sub-contractor who made the error has accepted responsibility for what happened, and we have been helping her, as far as we can, by brokering discussions with the parties concerned.

Welwyn Hatfield Times: Keisha's kitchen prior to the removal team taking away their belongings.Keisha's kitchen prior to the removal team taking away their belongings. (Image: Keisha McCalla)

"We understand that she is now liaising with legal representatives of one of those parties on the matter of settlement of her claim." 

Keisha had moved into the house at the start of February and immediately asked for the plaster that was falling off throughout the house and exposing brick wall to be repaired. 

Welwyn Hatfield Times: Keisha's kitchen after the removal team had gone through it.Keisha's kitchen after the removal team had gone through it. (Image: Keisha McCalla)

Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council handed over the job to their contractor Mears, who then passed the job onto their subcontractor Smartier Group Ltd.

Keisha said: "They asked me to move items out of the way so the plasterers could carry out the work with more space. I was also asked if I could move out of the property until the works had been finished and I was asked to provide a key for the director/plasterers to gain access. 

Welwyn Hatfield Times: Some of belongings retrieved by the team.Some of belongings retrieved by the team. (Image: Keisha McCalla)

According to Keisha, the director explained that the removal men he employed thought her home was a house clearance job instead of a rubbish removal and they had entered the wrong home.  

Everything from furniture, clothes, shoes, jewellery, toys, electronics, food, toiletries, curtains and poles, money, photos, documents, garden equipment, and bedding had been removed from the house.

The 30-year-old mum added: "This looked like a ransack and as if the men removing our belongings were going through our stuff for what they wanted.

Welwyn Hatfield Times: The family's bedroom before it was ransacked last year.The family's bedroom before it was ransacked last year. (Image: Keisha McCalla)

"They only retrieved a broken TV, one shoes from multiple pairs, Tupperware, and a bag of clothes that cannot be used again. This has destroyed my life.

"Everything I have purchased over the years for myself and my two children, items that have been bought for us, sentimental items that have been passed down to us, and photos are all things I will never be able to get back. 

Welwyn Hatfield Times: The living room of the house before the any work had been done by the plasterers. The living room of the house before the any work had been done by the plasterers. (Image: Keisha McCalla)

"My children’s firsts that I have documented and clips that were attached to their umbilical and hospital name tags are gone. It has had a profound effect on all of us. I have been off work since July and have had to seek counselling and medication citalopram.  

"I am suffering with severe anxiety, panic attacks and depression. I am unable to sleep at night and when I finally do, I am having nightmares. I can't stop worrying and feel unsafe. It has affected my whole life." 

                                                                                                         

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Keisha believes her children have been extremely affected. She added: "My daughter is constantly upset and has also had to see her doctor. She feels scared to go back to our home. Now at 14, she sleeps with me on the floor because she doesn't want to be alone. 

"My son's behaviour has changed beyond belief. He is lashing out, anxious, crying, not sleeping and having nightmares. We are unable to live in the place which was going to be our new home.  

Welwyn Hatfield Times: We are unable to live in the place which was going to be our new home.We are unable to live in the place which was going to be our new home. (Image: Keisha McCalla)

"Instead, in the last nine months we have not been able to live at our home and have been living out of a bag from my car. We cannot carry on like this due to no fault of our own."

The council’s spokesperson added: "We fully understand that Ms McCalla may not be happy with any offer made, but in this situation the only further thing we can do is recommend that she seek independent legal advice."