DAMP HOME AGONY
Carer says damp home ‘so bad I thought I was dying’
CARER Sue Hughes says she is unable to look after her ill friend – because damp in their rented home leaves her bedbound.
The 63-year-old has lived in Wellington Mill, Leek for more than three years and says she has been reporting the damp issues ever since moving in.
The mother-of four cares for her friend Jamie Bloor at the property, off John Street. He was diagnosed with muscle atrophy after being attacked on Boxing Day 2005 and left in a coma for six months.
But Sue says the damp makes her chronic obstructive pulmonary disease worse. Sue also has osteoporosis and arthritis.
She said: “The cold damp conditions are in the hall, kitchen and living room.
“I’ve had to get my own electric heater because the rooms can’t get warm because of the damp, so my electric bill is sky-high.
“When I first moved in the damp was so bad in the kitchen that a cupboard fell off the wall, knocked me to the floor, damaged my arm and twisted my spine.
“They came out to fix the damp in December 2017 – but the damp has returned and the wall is cracking.
“I can’t look after Jamie properly because the conditions prevent me from getting out of bed on some days.
“I’m supposed to be looking after him and there are days where I can’t.” She added: “At one stage I even thought it was my time to go because I was that ill from the damp. I wish I’d never moved in.”
Jamie stays at the property with Sue – and she says he deserves a damp-free property.
The 31-year-old said: “Sue has reported the damp numerous times.
“I bought my own damp meter and a reading said the house was 99 per cent damp.” He added: “It’s really unfair of the housing association to put us through this.”
Greg Lakin, of housing association, Midland Heart, said it was made aware of the damp problem – caused by a historical leak next to the original 100ft mill chimney – in 2017. He added: “We thoroughly investigated the issue – which required scaffolding to be erected – and repaired the roof flashing.
“We also removed the kitchen units and redecorated the wall.”
Mr Lakin said it had received no more reports of damp until this month: “Our technical maintenance surveyor will be visiting the property this week to assess the situation and, if necessary, arrange for scaffolding to again be erected should further repairs be required.”