A distraught mother of four says her baby “has a hard time breathing every night” because of their mould-infested flat.
Charlotte Green, 26, has been battling leaks and damp in her two-bedroom home in South East London’s Lewisham since 2017.
In October, her eight-month-old daughter with bronchiolitis – a chest infection – was rushed to hospital and given oxygen through her nose until she could breathe on her own.
Two months later, shocking footage shows the baby still suffering from breathing problems, gasping and coughing while holding an asthma pump.
The video comes in the wake of a coroner’s ruling that mold exposure caused a respiratory condition that claimed the life of two-year-old Awaab Ishak in Rochdale.
His family had repeatedly complained about their flat, but no action was taken before Awaab’s death in November 2020.
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Referring to the footage of her baby girl, Charlotte told the Mirror: “She’s like this every night. About six to seven weeks after she was born, she started having breathing problems, but it only got worse.
“As soon as I walk into my bedroom that’s it, she starts coughing. I stand her up and put double pillows and blankets around her bed to keep the heat in.
“I also try to get anything affected by the moisture away from her so she doesn’t breathe it in. When she’s outside she gets fresh air, which helps, but as soon as we’re inside she starts coughing.”
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The mother said her two-year-old son has also been hospitalized several times for breathing difficulties, while another of her daughters started experiencing allergic reactions, including swollen eyes and lips.
She fears her children’s poor health is related to the black mold, which has covered their belongings and even seeped through insulation walls designed to keep the problem at bay.
Charlotte said: “It’s everywhere. You literally smell it as soon as you walk in, as well as on clothes and toys. It seeps through so badly.
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“Surveyors came by for a claim that the home was in disrepair and they tested each wall for how much moisture is in it. They said it’s more than 30 percent in each wall — it’s meant to be less than 10 percent .
“The common areas are also soaking wet. There are drops of condensation coming from the ceiling and in the elevators.”
The mother has contacted Greenwich council several times over the past five years, but says that while they have found workarounds, the root of the problem still remains.
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She continued: “I’ve tried painting over it, we’ve had insulation walls and it just keeps coming back.
“They’ve told me how to better ventilate the property, but I have my windows and vents open when I’m out during the day. When I get back I close them and turn the heating on briefly. I turn it off to to stop the condensation.
“I have a clothes dryer and don’t dry clothes on the radiator, which they always complained about. I removed everything from the walls because they said to keep room to breathe, but it still comes through.
“They keep trying to say I’m to blame for not ventilating the property.”
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Charlotte said she has also been without hot water or heating for four days due to issues with her water heater, and in the meantime is struggling to afford the cost of using electric heaters.
She added: “It’s literally like living outside. It just keeps us dry because we have a roof over our heads, but the weather outside feels the same temperature as inside.”
The municipality has made an appointment for January 12, but Charlotte doubts whether the problem will be solved.
She said, “They’ll probably come over, look at it, tell them to dry the walls and that’ll be it.”
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Her story comes as the Mirror launches its End Housing Hell campaign, demanding that social, council and private housing tenants be fined when properties fail to meet minimum standards.
We also call for the Decent Housing standard to be maintained and extended to the private sector, for tens of thousands of additional social housing to be built, for better access to legal aid for tenants, for inspections to be improved and for local housing benefits to be increased to people help with the rent.
The latest figures show that there are 3.5 million homes that do not meet the Decent Housing Standard.
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This includes 2.2 million properties with at least one Category 1 hazard, such as mold, asbestos or hazardous electrical equipment, and 941,000 with severe humidity.
Greenwich council said it has given Charlotte’s family a rehousing priority, but that demand remains “extremely high”.
A spokesperson told the Mirror: “We know damp and mold is a major concern for our tenants and leaseholders and it is something we take extremely seriously.
“The council is working hard to resolve Ms Green’s housing situation and understand the impact this has had on her family.
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Extensive repairs to the property were carried out in September 2021, including the installation of insulation to the walls in the bedroom, hallway and front room, as well as repairing a leak in the property above.
“In early January we will carry out further inspections to find out why the mold has returned and organize any additional remedial work that may be required.
“We have also prioritized rehousing for the family, retroactive to April 2022, including all four of Ms Green’s children.
The latest figures show that there are 3.5 million homes that do not meet the Decent Housing Standard.
This includes 2.2 million properties with at least one Category 1 hazard, such as mold, asbestos or hazardous electrical equipment, and 941,000 with severe humidity.
The Mirror is demanding the following for social, council and private housing tenants:
- Fines and bans for landlords who don’t meet minimum standards
- Enforce the Decent Homes Standard and extend it to the private sector
- The construction of tens of thousands of additional social housing units
- Give more tenants access to legal assistance and improve the inspection regime
- Increase the local rent allowance to help tenants with rent costs
“However, due to the national housing crisis, there is an extremely high demand for social housing and a shortage of social rental housing, both in Royal Greenwich and across the country.
“Those who have been given priority will wait at least another three years before they are likely to be rehoused.
“We will continue to be in close contact with Ms. Green and do everything we can to support her family as they bid for a new council home.”
Have you been left in a house from hell? Email [email protected]
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