Mouldy home making toddler ill, mum claims
Vulnerable toddler living in mouldy Manchester home ‘continuously poorly’, mum claims
A Manchester mum claims mould in her social housing is making her vulnerable toddler ill.
Nichola Farrell told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) she has been dealing with black mould in her Levenshulme property for years. She claimed it is so bad it has infected her three-year-old son Noah’s clothes and bedding.
It is also impacting his health, she alleges. Noah has a condition that makes him more vulnerable to infections, including respiratory infections, Ms Farrell said.
Her landlord, One Manchester, has repeatedly visited her home, in Bishopton Close, but the issue has persisted. Ms Farrell alleged the organisation is just ‘masking’ the problem by painting over it, rather than dealing with the root causes.
Ms Farrell said the issue has left her in tears, not knowing ‘what to do’ or ‘who to speak to’ for help. She has filed a formal complaint with One Manchester, which has been escalated to the Housing Ombudsman. She also has an active disrepair claim against the landlord.
One Manchester told the LDRS it ‘takes all reports about our homes seriously, particularly where health and safety are concerned’. A spokesman added the organisation had completed ‘appropriate inspections and repairs’ at the property, ‘where access has been provided’.
Ms Farrell said: “Noah’s been affected in a big, big way, and he’s my world. He’s my life.
“He’s a baby, he’s innocent in all of this. They’re neglecting my son, and my worry is that they’re failing him … I’ve got mould on Noah’s clothes, his sleep suits, his bed, his cot.”
She claimed Noah has been ‘continuously poorly’ due to the black mould. The LDRS has seen a doctor’s note from his GP stating Noah has ‘multiple presentations with chest infections and respiratory issues’, with the black mould described as a ‘health hazard’ and ‘likely contributor’ to his health issues.
She added: “No matter how much you clean it, the spores are in the air and you’re breathing it in still. No matter how much you keep coming out masking over with a bit of paint, it’s never going to go away. This is never going to address the problem.
“No one’s helping me. I started crying the other day. It’s like I don’t know what to do anymore. I don’t know who to speak to, where to go.”
Ms Farrell branded the situation as ‘cruel, hazardous and inhumane’, adding: “I’ve had to double layer the mats Noah sits on. All the mats underneath are mouldy.
“We’re getting silver fish in the dining room, and it’s just so hazardous, and I’m really scared. I’m worried for my baby.
“When it was me in the property and they were coming out and just masking over it, I didn’t have the energy to fight, but having a baby, it changes everything,” she said.
Damp and a previous rat infestation have also caused damage to one of the ceilings in the property, Ms Farrell claims. Roof repairs were carried out by One Manchester last year related to the infestation, the LDRS understands.
Photographs show the ceiling has been reinforced with plywood, but Ms Farrell said she still fears it might collapse – a fear that is keeping her up at night.
She said: “One man came and put a big piece of plywood on the ceiling. They also sent someone out to put a little piece of wood on the landing, because at any point one of us is going to fall through it. The ceiling’s ready to collapse.”
A spokesman for One Manchester said: “We take all reports about our homes seriously, particularly where health and safety are concerned and we recognise the impact these situations can have on residents. This is a complex case that we’ve actively managed over time, and we have provided the Housing Ombudsman with extensive evidence of the actions taken and the resources committed to resolving the issues raised.
“Where access to the property has been provided, appropriate inspections and repairs have been completed. We’ve also acknowledged where aspects of the case could have been handled better and offered redress.
“The matter is now with the Housing Ombudsman, who will independently assess whether the right actions have been taken. As the case is awaiting assessment, it would not be appropriate to comment further, but we remain committed to completing any further actions or recommendations required.”
The Housing Ombudsman told the LDRS Ms Farrell’s case has been flagged as ‘high risk’ and a decision would be expected within four months.