Council flat mould ‘like fire scene’

A woman with severe lung problems lives in a council flat ridden with black and green mould.

Jane Roberts, who moved to Westgate Gardens in Canterbury last year, suffers from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), arthritis, osteoporosis, foot and muscle spasms and ulcers in her belly and wind- pipe, but says East Kent Housing “doesn’t want to know” about the condition of her home.

Despite cleaning the walls, opening her windows and turning on the heating every day, the 54-year-old says the mould, which she believes is being caused by persistent damp, is so bad it looks like the property has been ravaged by a fire.

“It’s disgusting. There’s mould in my kitchen, bathroom, bedroom and living room,” she said.

“Every morning I get up and there are puddles along the windowsill. I have had to throw away curtains because they had gone mouldy and smelly. I clean every day. I don’t, there’s going to be mould, mould and mould.”

Ms Roberts first noticed the black growth in May a few weeks after she moved in.

After several months of trying to manage the problem with regular cleaning she reported it to Mears, which carries out repairs for East Kent Housing, on the advice of her doctor.

She says her health has deteriorated over the past few months.

But despite Ms Roberts being the third tenant to raise fears of damp within the property, the company has only offered to clean two small sections of wall.

“It’s just not good enough. It’s taking a toll on my health,” she continued. “It’s freezing in here, because I have to keep the windows open all the time”.

She says the stress caused by East Kent Housing’s lack of action has been so bad, she even had to call an ambulance earlier this month after a panic attack.

“I think I’ve just tired myself out,” she continued.

A spokesman for East Kent Housing said: “We’re concerned to hear of the problems Ms Roberts is having. An inspection of her property has taken place and we have agreed to carry out a mould wash in two locations.

“We will also be checking the whole block to see if there are any wider problems with mould that need to be addressed.”