We all want to provide a safe and secure home for our family. After renting for many years and saving hard, we finally stepped onto the property ladder in June this year - shortly after the birth of our daughter, Margot. Our new home - a 1970s mid-terrace - needed a complete modernisation, but we were excited by the challenges and opportunities this would present and looking forward to having a happy and comfortable environment in which to raise our little girl.

Two big jobs planned for just before we would move into the property were a full electrical re-wire and a new boiler system. Unfortunately during the electrical rewire the electricians disturbed some asbestos and contaminated all our clothes, car and possessions. Within an hour the house was sealed up and we were left out on the street homeless and with a 12 week old daughter to look after.

The insurance company for the electricians will not pay the cost of the damage caused and nor will our own insurance company as both refuse to pay out for asbestos. So, we are left as a family; homeless, car-less and possession less. We have not even lived in our new home yet!

The cost to remove the asbestos is around £35,000. We cannot afford this as we had to scrimp and save for 6 years just to afford the deposit for our first house together as a family. In short we need help. My wife and l are both teachers and we work with young people who have special educational needs.

We have never asked for a single hand out in our lives. We have always worked hard, paid our taxes and enjoyed the simple things in life such as spending time with our families and doing our best to help other people out as best we can.

It isn't a nice feeling having to ask other people for help but we really need some help and support at this point in time so that we can be together again as a family and so that my wife and l can raise our first child together in a safe home and environment. We welcome any donations.