Mum’s flat is so damp mould grows on daughter’s toys – her landlord says ‘it’s because too many people BREATHE inside’

A MUM of-five is desperate to leave her mouldy home – claiming she was told the damp problems were because there were “too many people breathing in the house”.

Shelley Wilcox said finding her daughter’s toy doll covered in mould was “the last straw” in her battle with housing provider Bromford.

BPM

The mum said finding her daughter’s doll covered in mould was the ‘last straw’[/caption]

She accepted the home in Winchcombe, Gloucestershire, seven years ago after promises were made to fix certain issues.

However, because these repairs never happened, the 40-year-old says the home, and her family, have suffered.

Now, the mum says, there is mould in every room, a broken front door, and windows that are not fit for purpose.

Miss Wilcox decorated her home with mould-resistant paint – but despite cleaning the affected areas with mould sprays and bleach regularly, she said she cannot keep up with the rate at which it grows.

Bromford has sent staff in the past to assess the damp situation, and as a result, Miss Wilcox claims she was told there were “too many people breathing in the house”.

Miss Wilcox said: “The last straw was when my daughter went to find her dolls and she came to me so upset and distraught when they were literally covered in mould.

“I put the dolls in the wash and one had to go in the bin, the other one I am having to scrub in hope I can get the spores out of it for her.”

She said she has had to redecorate FIVE times because of the issue and is on her third sofa due to the damp.

Miss Wilcox said: “I have had to replace furniture, toy units, and even pots and pans”

She said if the problems had been addressed as promised when she moved in, they would not have developed into what they are today.

She believes rising damp is the main source of the problems, and that damp-proofing has been placed in the wrong areas.

Miss Wilcox feels she has been told too many conflicting things by various contractors, surveyors, and Bromford housing officers.

After her eldest child moved out recently, Miss Wilcox’s now has four kids living with her; two boys and two girls, whose ages range from four months to seven years old.

She is worried they are being affected by the damp and mould.

Miss Wilcox said: “The baby and my 21-month-old little one seem to always have runny noses and are poorly.

“The worst of the problem is in the bedrooms and by my son’s cot.”

Not only is the damp an issue, but condensation also builds up in the double glazing windows. The seals are also coming away.

Miss Wilcox said: “For the past five years, I have not been able to open or close the bathroom window properly. It has been locked open the whole time.

“The extractor fan works but drips water on your head when you brush your teeth on the colder days.

I feel like a failure as a mum

Shelley Wilcox

“I was promised as well when I moved and accepted the home I would have the windows, door and the external walls sorted but nothing has happened.”

And she said issues caused by the damp mean her front-door can be easily broken down and otherwise swells with damp in cold weather and can’t be opened.

Miss Wilcox said: “I am trying so hard; I feel a failure as a mum and I am so stressed.”

Bromford has apologised to Miss Wilcox for the problems she has been facing.

Speaking last week, the housing provider’s associate director of localities, Dave Grinter, said: “I would like to apologise for the delays Miss Wilcox has experienced in trying to get these issues resolved.

“We have been in contact with Miss Wilcox over the past week to try to finally resolve some of these issues for her.

“We have arranged an independent surveyor to her home on Thursday [Feb 3] to carry out another survey to identify the causes of the damp she has been suffering so we can find a permanent solution for them.

“We have already started to remove the ivy that is growing on her walls and will complete this work on Friday.

“Twelve months ago, our neighbourhood coach assisted Miss Willcox in setting up an account on the council’s choice-based lettings so she could apply to move to a new property, due to being overcrowded in her current home.

“All our homes, and those of other housing associations, are available to bid through this system and we would encourage her to do so to find a home that is more suitable to the size of her family.”