A Window to Nowhere: Living Without Signal in Emergency Accommodation – Zero Signal Reception Approved by the Sevenoaks CounciL

This image captures the reality of my life in the emergency accommodation at Central Road, Strood, approved by the Sevenoaks Council. The double-glazed, energy-efficient window, praised for its insulation, has a hidden cost—it blocks all mobile signal.

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Zero Signal Reception Approved by the Sevenoaks CounciL

The thick double glazing and insulation materials prevent any mobile signal from entering the room. To stay connected and keep up with my life while at “home” in winter months i have two choices weather to keep the window or the door open, otherwise the home becomes a silence sunctuary cut from teh world.

 

Isolated by Design of Double-Glazed Windows

Inside these walls, no mobile calls, texts, or internet access can get through. The thick glazing and energy-efficient materials turn this place into a dead zone. I can’t call for help, connect with services, or even play music to escape my reality for a moment.

To get even the faintest signal, I am forced to leave the window open—no matter the season, no matter the weather.

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Winter Survival: Cold and Silence

In winter, with temperatures dropping to 0°C or lower, leaving the window open isn’t just uncomfortable—it’s unbearable. But what choice do I have?

• I need to contact the council about my housing.
• I need to communicate with Citizen’s Advice, mental health support, or even the police when necessary.
• Sometimes, just listening to a bit of music is the only thing that keeps me sane.

And for that, I have to sit in the freezing cold. It’s not a choice—it’s survival.

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The Toll on My Mind and Body

Leaving the window open brings its own risks:

• Cold air pours in, making the room unlivable.
• My privacy is gone, as I’m exposed to the outside world.
• I feel unsafe—an open window invites noise, strangers, and constant anxiety.

This isn’t how anyone should have to live. This isn’t housing; this is isolation and neglect.

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A Broken System

Despite raising these issues with the council and management company repeatedly, nothing changes. They approved this place as “emergency accommodation,” but it fails at the most basic level:

• I am disconnected from the world.
• I am freezing to access what should be a fundamental right—communication.
• I am left alone to suffer the mental and emotional toll of isolation.

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This Is More Than a Window

This window is a symbol of a broken system. A system that puts vulnerable people like me into housing that isolates us, cuts us off, and forces us to choose between basic communication and our health.

• A mobile signal is not a luxury—it’s a necessity.
• Privacy and safety are not optional—they’re essential.

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Enough Is Enough

I urge the Sevenoaks Council to act immediately:

1. Install mobile signal boosters in the property.
2. Reassess this accommodation—no one should live in these conditions.
3. Prioritize the well-being and dignity of residents in emergency housing.

This situation is not just unacceptable; it’s inhumane. I shouldn’t have to sit by an open window in the cold just to make a phone call, listen to music, or feel connected to the world.

This is my life. This is my reality. And it has to change.

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Share Your Story
If you’ve experienced similar challenges in emergency accommodation, share your voice. Together, we can demand better.

#Sevenoaks #HousingCrisis #ConnectivityRights #DignityMatters

• The thick double glazing and insulation materials prevent any mobile signal from entering the room.
• To get even minimal signal for essential calls, messages, or basic internet access, I am forced to leave the window open, exposing myself to the cold and the outside world.

Description of the Energy-Efficient Window Blocking Mobile Signal

This image shows an energy-efficient double-glazed window designed to retain heat and minimize energy loss. However, these same energy-saving features inadvertently block mobile signal penetration.

Key details observed:

1. Window Design:
   • The window consists of two layers of thick glass with a sealed insulating layer between them, typical of modern double-glazing systems.
   • This design improves thermal insulation, reducing heating costs, but also blocks radio frequencies, including mobile signals.
2. Open Window as a Workaround:
   • The window is partially open to allow mobile signal penetration into the room.
   • This is a makeshift solution where the user places their phone near the open window to access mobile connectivity, despite the associated loss of warmth and security.
3. Setup on the Window Ledge:
   • A phone is propped on the ledge, connected to an external battery pack via a green charging cable.
   • This suggests prolonged reliance on the workaround to receive calls, messages, or internet access, indicating the complete failure of indoor signal reception when the window is closed.
4. Environmental Context:
   • The external view shows a street and parked cars outside, emphasizing the window’s location near ground level, which poses further risks if left open for extended periods.

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Impact of the Window on Daily Life

• Blocking Signal Completely: The thick glass and energy-efficient coating block essential mobile frequencies, cutting off calls, internet access, and emergency communication.
• Forced Window Opening: To access minimal connectivity, the user is forced to leave the window open, especially problematic during cold months when temperatures drop to 0°C or below.
• Security Risks: An open window on the ground floor increases vulnerability to intrusion and compromises privacy.

This window, while energy-efficient, highlights a severe flaw in its suitability for emergency accommodation where mobile connectivity is a basic necessity, further exacerbating the isolation and risks faced by residents.

TO BE UPDATED ….

The SEVENOAKS.town COUNCIL APPROVES EMERGENCY ACCOMMODATION like this, with ENERGY-EFFICIENT WINDOWS that BLOCK ALL MOBILE SIGNAL, leaving residents ISOLATED. Without the ability to COMMUNICATE, it’s like being trapped in a PRISON CELL. The thick GLAZING creates a DEAD ZONE, forcing me to OPEN THE WINDOW just to get a CONNECTION, regardless of the COLD. This setup is more like a GARAGE than a place to LIVE, highlighting the severe lack of consideration for residents’ BASIC NEEDS.