Black mould has spread throughout my nightmare new-build home and the damp has wrecked my carpet
A GREAT grandmother has revealed how black mould spread through her nightmare new-build home with the damp wrecking her carpet.
Margaret Davis, 89, was one of the first residents at the Wrotham Road block in London when it opened in 2018, moving in after her nearby council flat was demolished.
She described herself as one of the last of a generation of tenants who lived for 55 years on the estate.
And Margaret has revealed the “horrible” mould in her flat badly affected her health.
Margaret, who has a range of health conditions, told Camden New Journal: “I was very happy in the old block, I was there 55 years. I am the last one of the original lot from there – I’m hanging on.
“You wouldn’t think this would happen in this new building. It’s just been really bad for me. The chest has been playing me up over the past couple of weeks.
“It’s when I’m walking along, there are lumps in the carpet from the damp.
“I’m unsteady. The smell is horrible.”
She is well looked after by her family including her daughter-in-law Lynne, who said: “In December she was taken to hospital with a chest infection and pneumonia. We don’t know if it was to do with this but when they looked around the paramedics were noticing and talking about all the mould.
“We have been constantly on the phone. It just rings and rings and no one answers.”
The issues in the property have since been found to be caused by a leak from an appliance in the flat above.
Camden Council have now confirmed that this leak has been repaired.
Margaret, who had five children, 17 grandchildren and several great-grandchildren first came to Camden in 1951.
Her husband Johnny, who grew up in the area, died seven months ago.
She said: “I used to work for Lyon’s Tea Shop in Golders Green. I worked in the old Chalcot School in the kitchens. And I cleaned the police stations – Kentish Town and Albany Street.
“But I fell over one morning at 5.30am and hurt myself and I never went back.”
A council spokesperson said: “We are very sorry this matter has taken some time to sort out. We have now found Mrs Davis a flat within her community for her to move into permanently and we are helping her move this week.
“We want all our tenants to live in warm, safe and well-maintained homes and we are committed to tackling damp and mould.
“We urge any tenant who has these issues to contact us as soon as possible.”
“The cause of the damp and mould issues have been identified as a leak from an appliance in the flat above, which has now been repaired, and is not due to any defects in the building.
“Over a year ago the council established a new damp and mould team, who take emergency action to fix these problems”