Damp flat ‘is falling apart’ claims tenant
ATENANT has been living with damp, mould and even mushrooms for almost a year.
Michael Sandilands, who lives in supported living accommodation on Oldham Road in Rochdale, due to having mild autism and Asperger’s as well as epilepsy, has been attempting to move out.
He says that his flat is ‘falling apart’ because of the damp and mould - which he says is caused to a large degree by a leak and broken ventilator fan.
Landlords Halo Housing Association, based in Blackburn, said they have carried out investigation works and repairs, but ‘completely understand Michael’s frustration’.
Michael said: “It’s like everything is falling apart because there’s too much damp and mould in this flat. The handles are coming off the windows because there’s too much water.
“If I’m truly honest it’s affected my health a little bit because I have asthma and it’s caused a lot of coughing. I want to move but I’m getting nowhere.”
Michael added that maintenance workers from Halo had continually painted over the damp, causing it to reappear and had only removed the one big mushroom from the bathroom leaving other smaller ones.
He also said the ventilator fan is broken as it has a hole in the back and said he has been in contact with the environmental health services and the Citizens Advice Bureau about his situation.
“There is damp all over and all they are doing is painting over the damp so the damp’s going to reappear,” said Michael.
“The ventilator is knackered as well to be honest; there should be a flap or vents but there’s just a massive hole. They’ve removed the big mushroom but they’ve left the small ones.
“But I was speaking to environmental health and they said they could still grow back even if the big ones were gone.”
Halo said they had replaced the fan in the bathroom for one with a humidistat. Michael who is currently receiving housing benefit says he is finding it hard to move out.
He said: “The only way I can move out is for them to deem it fit or unfit.
“I can’t go private renting, or get guarantors or money up front because I’m on housing benefit.
“The only way I can move out is to deem it unfit so I’ll probably still be here in another year, but I don’t want to be.”
Ann Walton, head of operations at Halo Housing Association, said: “Halo are aware of the situation and completely understand Michael’s frustration.
“It has taken longer to find and rectify the cause than we would have liked.
“We have carried out extensive investigation works which has led us to carry out repairs to the roof in various places, replace the fan in the bathroom for one with a humidistat and to redecorate the bathroom.”
She also said Halo were committed to finding the source of the leak which had been causing the damp in the bathroom.
She said: “It had been anticipated that the works carried out would have resolved the problem and it is unfortunate that that has not been the case.
“We are however committed to investigating the source of the leak and we will continue to work with our tenant to ensure that the problem is remedied satisfactorily.
“Alongside the remedial works that we have carried out we have provided advice to Michael on the best way to heat and ventilate his home.”
The vaccine rollout continues – and while cases of Covid-19 are no longer at their peak, everyone needs to remain vigilant and play their part as the virus still circulates through communities all over the UK.
Around a third of people who have the virus show no symptoms and can spread it without knowing – so as the Stay Home advice eases, it’s vital that people who meet friends and loved ones do so mindfully and safely.
Up to six people from different households can now meet outdoors and organised outdoor sport can resume – but it’s important to minimise travel and continue to work from home if you can. It’s vital that we still observe the Hands, Face, Space rule and meet outdoors only.
Professor Tim Sharpe, head of the architecture department at the University of Strathclyde and member of SAGE, answers questions about safe ways to meet outdoors
vaccine programme is going well, but it’s still going. We’re on a journey, and we’re not at the end of that journey yet. So, although a lot of people have been vaccinated, a lot haven’t and are still at risk.
And those risks are still the same. Until a much larger number of people are vaccinated, there will still be those significant risks of catching Covid. The virus is still out there.
This is certainly going to be the case for a few months yet. Certain groups are a long way from being vaccinated – and you’ve seen the news recently that supply chains for the vaccine may affect the rate at which the rollout can happen.
Part of this is just being slightly cautious about it. So we’re taking one step at a time. What you don’t want to do is run before you can walk and then have to roll back. That would be a worstof the transmission has happened indoors for various reasons. Buildings are where people come together for work and to socialise. They are where you have people in close proximity, talking and interacting. The second issue is that the virus can accumulate over time, so you’re breathing its particles. If you’re further away, it’s less of a risk, but if you remain in that space for a long time and it’s poorly ventilated, they build up. out and sunlight may help. It’s a natural cleansing agent, so UV light may play a part as well. Fresh air and sunlight are healthy for many reasons.
less of a concern outside because it’s not contained. Indoors, it’s like someone smoking: if you were sitting next to them you could see the smoke and everyone could smell it.
Where you are outdoors makes a difference, too. If you’re standing by the seaside and it’s a windy day it’s perfect, but if you’re in a market or a more enclosed space there’s less air movement and the risk is correspondingly higher. These are the sort of judgments we need to think about. you have crowds, people get pushed in together, they’re very close. Crowds sing, chant and shout – all of those are aerosol generating procedures. So that is a risk factor. Then there’s getting to and from the event, plus going to bathrooms, eating and all those other dimensions that are part of the problem. And with a larger crowd, the chance that someone there has Covid is greater than if it’s a small gathering of people.
let your guard down. People may start with the best intentions – we all do it, you meet someone in a park and you’re standing and chatting and you gravitate closer, maybe because you can’t hear. I think that’s where it’s dangerous – you don’t maintain a strict adherence to the rules over time. The longer you spend with somebody the more you tend to relax. So just be cautious.
holidays so we can try to make the most of that.”
While they’re also glad they can meet friends outside, Shazia and her husband Cosma, 47, who is also a lawyer, are most keen for their daughter Sofia and son Zak to be able to socialise and have outdoor play dates once again. “Being three and six, they have completely different interests in terms of what they play with,” says Shazia. “You can tell that they miss the interaction. It’s so important at their age.”
Sofia returned to school earlier this month, but Zak is yet to start nursery, and hasn’t had the chance to play with other children. “It’s Zak who I feel has really missed out,” says Shazia. “He’s never really had the chance to socialise with other children, even things like learning how to share and play nicely. He’s had two birthdays in lockdown and I don’t know if he remembers a time when we did things. Sometimes I wonder, ‘Does he think this is life?’ ”
Now that her mother Farida, who’s 76 and living in the family home, has received both doses of the vaccine, Shazia feels more confident. And Farah will be the first person invited over. “She’s my priority,” says Shazia. “I’m going to order one of those home-delivery cream tea boxes and we’ll sit in the garden and eat and drink tea together.”