Damp trap parents move to one room
A MOTHER-of-three and her partner are effectively living in one room of their damp flat.
Nicole Friend, 27, and partner Conrad Goodhall, 46, have been forced to quit the master bedroom in their home on Elmfield Avenue in Golcar because of damp and the musty smell it creates.
They say the high levels of damp have created mouldy conditions that are adversely affecting the family’s health.
And despite letters from their doctor advising that they should be moved to better accommodation to reduce health risks to their children – including a one year-old – the problems have not been solved.
The couple say they feel trapped in their home and fear for the health of their other children, aged six and seven.
Conrad is awaiting a double hip replacement but has been advised by his surgeon to find drier accommodation otherwise his wound may become infected.
Until he moves he cannot have the procedure.
The couple now sleep in their cramped living room, having moved furniture into their bedroom.
Other possessions, contaminated by mould, have been dumped in the garden.
Yet despite raising their concerns with Kirklees Council the couple, who moved in two years ago, have been told they are fault for not properly heating and ventilating their home.
A council official who inspected the flat said it was suffering from condensation.
He advised the couple to wipe down their furniture to clean off any mould.
Yet a damp meter used on the wooden floor of the living room recorded a reading of 43.7%.
And a void beneath the rear bedroom regularly floods, often to a depth of several inches.
“We had to move out of the back bedroom to the living room because of the musty smell. You can smell the mould in the air. It stinks that much,” said Nicole.
“There is moisture in the timber floors and also in the walls. There is white mould on the floor.
“When they came to inspect the flat all their readings were in the red zone but later they said they were green and orange, which show less damp.
“They were trying to blag it, telling us that it was condensation because of how we were living.
“But that’s rubbish. It’s the flat. You can smell the mould in the air. It’s horrible. My baby can’t crawl on the carpet because it’s so bad.”
Nicole’s doctor has written supporting letters advising that her one-year-old son’s recurrent respiratory problems may well be related to the conditions of his accommodation.
The letter states: “I believe there are significant damp issues, which are known to affect respiratory conditions in young and adults.”
Said Nicole: “We are angry, stressed and frustrated.
“Whenever I speak to the council I feel like crying on the phone. I feel my children are in danger.
“I’m suffering from chest infections as well as the kids. It’s so bad that we don’t stay in the flat. We tend to stay out until the afternoon, just for fresh air.”
Added Conrad: “We are breathing in toxic air. It only gets better when we go outside.
“I moved here to try and get better but everything is getting worse. My health has degenerated. It’s a horrible feeling.”