Social housing tenants “desperate” over mould and damp living conditions

Social housing tenants “desperate” over mould and damp living conditions

One mother in the UK is fighting with the country’s social housing authority and has reached out to the media after her own health, and that of her children has worsened significantly after living in a home full of dampness and mould.

The family of four have lived in the two-bedroom home for four years, and the mother, who asked not to be named, said she had noticed mould and dampness from the beginning of her tenancy but was “desperate” for a place to stay.

She said she had been in contact with the local housing association but was told it was “just condensation.” The law in her area, similar to many Australian states, declares that the tenant is responsible for ensuring the property remains well ventilated. She said she also installed

The tenant, who asked not to be named, said she has tried to get in contact with the housing association Calico about the ongoing mould and damp, but each time is told it is “just condensation”. She went so far as to install a PIV (Positive Input Ventilation) Unit, but says it hasn’t helped.

She said: “It’s horrendous. They should not have people living in houses like this. It just feels like because it’s a social landlord you should be grateful despite the awful living conditions.”

She says her children are “always ill with chest problems and runny noses”, and a doctor advised her that their health was directly related to the environment they were living in.

The tenant says she has done as much as she can, including moving furniture and running the PIV Unit, but hasn’t seen an improvement and believes the issue is structural. Under local housing legislation, faulty heating or ventilation is the responsibility of the landlord.

In response to the matter Paul Lowe, Head of Operations at the social housing organisation Calico, stated: “It is in our interest and the customer’s to resolve issues that are raised. In terms of anyone reporting it depends on the individual needs of the person with how quickly an issue is resolved.

“Mould can be caused by many reasons including too much moisture in the air so a property will need inspecting first to identify the cause of the problem.

“With more and more households struggling to pay heating bills, the number of people who understandably avoid opening their windows (to ventilate their homes) and therefore experience condensation and mould has gone up.”

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