Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
Mould-ridden flat ‘making dad’s health worse and children sick’
A dad with a hole in his heart who lives in a mould-blighted flat says the home’s condition is impacting his health and making his children sick. Doctors say the state of Wesley Viscount’s home in Sturry Hill, Canterbury, is contibuting to the 30-year-old’s respiratory problems, while he argues: “No family should have to live like this.”
Mr Viscount explains issues with the council property first emerged four months after he and partner Sophie Tucker moved in with their young daughters in May 2021. He claims last Thursday he was told by Royal Brompton Hospital he needs a heart transplant, but cannot be put on the list until he is moved out of the black mould-ridden flat. “The mould started in September and it just kept getting worse,” he said.
“I have been in and out of hospital since we moved here. I’m having heart transplant assessments and doctors say I can’t be considered for one because of the state of my flat. “Because of my condition I am basically housebound. “Being stuck with this damp and mould is not helping my health at all.
“I’ve been told I could only have two more years to live if I don’t get the surgery I need.” Mr Viscount was born with a hole in his heart that has progressively worsened with age. He also has a defibrillator in his heart, and says valves have been replaced over the years. Aside from his own condition, he is also concerned about the health of his family, saying his two youngest daughters – aged between one and six – now have asthma.
Mould is known to produce spores which can be breathed in and trigger asthma symptoms.
“It’s got to the point now where my daughters spend more time at my mum’s house because we don’t want them living in these conditions,” he said.
“My partner is severely depressed because of all this. Our whole family just really needs this to be fixed.” Mr Viscount says he and his partner have tried to address the mould themselves, but need professional help for it to be solved properly.
The desperate dad also says the entire flat smells, adding: “No family should have to live like this.”
As well as the health issues, the condition of the flat has been impacting the family financially.
He added: “Some weeks me and my partner can only afford to feed the children because we have to replace so many items ruined by the mould. “We have had to rip up the carpets in my bedroom and the living room because they turned black.”
Despite claiming they have written to Canterbury City Council (CCC) on multiple occasions, Mr Viscount says he is still being ignored, which the council disputes.
“We have been to the council over 20 times, and they won’t do anything about it,” he said. “They won’t take any medical reasons into consideration. “Royal Brompton specialists have even told me they are sick of writing to the council for us as they keep getting ignored.” However, CCC say it has carried out various repair jobs within the property. A spokesman said: "Following an inspection for damp and mould, we have carried out various repair jobs to this property, including to the windows and extractor fans, and completed a thorough check of the loft insulation, which revealed no concerns.
"There is one outstanding piece of work that needs to be done to a window, but this requires a room to be cleared by the tenants. "We will follow up with the tenant to check the position on this and make the necessary arrangements should we now be able to go ahead.” Responding to the council’s statement, Mr Viscount says no work has been carried out after an initial inspection 18 months ago.
‘Because of my condition I am housebound. Being stuck with thismould is not helping my health at all...’