Disabled tenant facing a new battle over council flat mould
MAN WITH CHRONIC LUNG CONDITION ASKS COUNCIL TO GIVE HIM VACANT FLAT NEXT DOOR
A DISABLED man with a chronic lung condition says the mould on the walls of his council flat is putting his health at risk.
Adrian Huthwaite, 47, from Loughborough, suffers from COPD, bronchiectasis and severe asthma, as well as being paralysed from the waist down due to a motorbike crash 16 years ago.
He is facing his second battle with Charnwood Borough Council over the flat in which he has lived for three years. Firstly, he had to fight to get an electric front door installed so he could escape if there was a fire.
Now he says his health is suffering from the mould on his walls of his flat, which a workman said would take months to dry out with a dehumidifier running round the clock.
Mr Huthwaite, a former hairdresser, has asked Charnwood Borough Council to move him into the vacant flat next door.
He has been offered a property in East Goscote, but feels that, as he recovers from hernia surgery, “it wouldn’t be wise to move out of the area due to my main support network being here, as well as doctors who know and understand my health issues and disability”.
He said: “I wrote to the council from my bed, after being home for a few days after surgery. Someone was booked to come and look at the damp, but cancelled last minute.
“At this point I had enough. I had mould and damp creeping up my walls and the flat smelt. The flat next door to me has been empty for two years and fits my disability needs exactly. I’ve been in this flat and I can get around it all. Which I’ve told them several times.
“I bid on it but didn’t hear back after a month despite it being a direct match. This is seriously affecting my mental and physical health. I feel so angry that yet again they have let me down. How many more times are they going to let me down and put my health at risk?”
The council has supplied a dehumidifier and offered to pay for the running costs, but says there is a severe lack of suitable council housing.
A spokesman said: “After fixing a leak at Mr Huthwaite’s property, we delivered a dehumidifier to help reduce moisture in the walls and have recommended it runs daily for two weeks.
“We are sympathetic to Mr Huthwaite’s situation but there is significant pressure on council housing and a limited supply of available properties.
“We appreciate some people are in difficult situations, but there are occasions when others have a greater need due to a variety of reasons and circumstances.”