The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Plea for urgent action to avoid mould deaths
HOUSING: Call to make sure Rochdale toddler tragedy not repeated in city
Action must be taken on mouldy social housing in Dundee if a tragedy that occurred in England is to be avoided in the city, a councillor has said.
Two-year-old Awaab Ishak’s death in Rochdale was as a direct result of exposure to mould in the housing association flat he lived in, a coroner this week ruled.
And it is now feared similar deaths will happen in Dundee if reports of thousands of damp social housing properties are not dealt with.
Earlier this year it was revealed that more than 3,000 complaints about damp and mould have been made to the city council in the last five years.
Labour group leader Kevin Keenan said: “Thank goodness we haven’t had a tragedy like this little boy but we need to act now to prevent such a situation occurring here in Dundee.”
A Dundee City Council spokesman said: “Before someone moves into a council house it is inspected and necessary repairs to put the house in a habitable condition are carried out. This includes work to deal with condensation and/or dampness if the dampness is being caused by some feature of the house.”
Calls have been made to take action on mouldy social housing in Dundee after a toddler died in England.
A coroner has revealed two-year-old Awaab Ishak’s death was a direct result of exposure to mould in the housing association flat in Rochdale he lived in.
It is now feared similar deaths will be seen in Dundee if reports of thousands of damp social housing properties are not dealt with.
It comes after it was revealed earlier this year more than 3,000 complaints about damp and mould have been made to Dundee City Council in the last five years.
Now, the council’s Labour group leader Kevin Keenan is calling on local authority bosses to improve living conditions across the city.
He said: “Thank goodness we haven’t had a tragedy like this little boy, but we need to act now to prevent such a situation occurring here in Dundee.
“That shocking finding has led me to renew calls for action to prevent and deal with mould and damp in Dundee. The council must take action.
“I have been contacted by very many constituents who are forced to live in houses that are damp and mouldy. This cannot be allowed to continue.”
Among the council tenants living in mouldy properties is lorry driver Paul Gagin, who was moved into a new flat at the start of this year due to mould.
After less than a year in his new Douglas home, he is suffering the same problems as in his Menzieshill flat, reported by The Courier last year.
The 54-year-old has spent thousands of pounds decorating and replacing furniture damaged by damp but is fighting a losing battle.
Paul, who has a lung condition said: “This is affecting my physical and mental health.
“It’s just awful having to live like this. Sadly, this flat is no better.
“I have spent thousands of pounds decorating the flat and buying new furniture to replace what I had to throw out because it was ruined because of damp.
“The walls are damp, the bathroom floor is soaking, there is mould in the bathroom, the house stinks of damp and it’s permanently freezing.”
A Dundee City Council spokesman said: “Before someone moves into a council house, it is inspected and necessary repairs to put the house in a habitable condition are carried out, this includes work to deal with condensation and/or dampness if the dampness is being caused by some feature of the house.”