A Bristol mum is at the end of her tether with mould growing on her children’s beds and faulty electrics in her home. She said this situation was made worse when a worker suggested that “a ghost was playing with the electrics”.
The mum-of-three, who preferred not to be named, lives with her children and partner in a housing association property in Whitchurch. She said the family were all sleeping in one room due to their health concerns around mould and despite cleaning regularly several times a week, she's been unable to get rid of the mould.
She said: “It’s been going on for four years now and mould grows on the kids’ bedding." Habinteg Housing Association said they take any reports of mould or damp seriously and have been working with her since 2022 and continue to resolve issues at the property.
READ MORE: Bristol Airport reopens after snow chaos grounds flights
But the mum said: “It’s on all the beds and my four year old’s bed was so bad, he couldn’t sleep on it. We are all sleeping in one room and physically can’t go into one of the bedrooms.”
She added that her son has been constantly ill and only has a 10% attendance at school, while her nine year old daughter only has a 60% attendance at school. She said they had also had problems with the electrical wiring and damp in the bathroom and when a worker had come to fix it, he had said “there was a ghost playing with the wires”.
“He said as well as playing with wires, 'ghosts turn lights on and off and make things flicker'. My daughter heard him and that scared her, now she thinks there’s 'a ghost' in the house. She’s become very emotional and crying all the time,” said the resident.
The mum says she has escalated her concerns to her MP and the council and has complained directly to Habingteg. She claimed they were left for three days without electrics upstairs, and the electrics were tripping "all the time". She also raised concerns about safety, particularly with three children in the house, due to the electrical issues.
She added that they had also had mice which were chewing the electrics, as well as their food. She confirmed that she has contacted the housing association a number of times via email, but said that she “seemed to be getting nowhere”.
She said: “My four year old told me he doesn’t want to be ill anymore. The damp and mould is not good for my children, I just want them to be happy and safe.”
Habinteg Housing Association director of housing and assets, Nic Bungay, said: “No one should have to live with mould in their home. We take any report of mould & damp in our tenants’ homes seriously, and we have been working with [her] to resolve this matter.
“In 2022, we worked to address areas of black spot mould with a mould treatment. We offered a loft insulation top-up to reduce opportunities for mould growth, this has been delayed at her request.”
He said the association had also installed a Positive Pressure unit in February, which he said “should provide a permanent solution to the damp issues by pushing out humid air and replacing it with warm dry air. We have also replaced the home’s bathroom extractor, carried out work on roof vent tiles, and offered further mould treatment.”
Mr Bungay added that with regards to electrical issues: “We attended [the] home on 21 October 2022 and rectified an electrical fault in her kitchen. We have addressed an issue with the thermostat to ensure a consistent temperature in the home. We have received no reports of recurring electrical faults since.”
He also said that with regard to pest control, Habinteg has changed plastic cavity wall weep hole vents for metal weep vents to prevent rodents from accessing the walls. They have consulted all residents on the scheme on a communal chargeable pest control service, which was agreed to.
“We’re sorry to hear that [the tenant] feels we are not addressing these matters at her home. We will continue to work with her to resolve any outstanding matters,” he said.
READ NEXT:
- Driver on phone gave finger to fellow motorist - then found out who it was
- Sean Paul confirmed to play Siren festival at Bristol harbourside
- Neighbours fear noisy workers at South Bristol tip as new plans to start work at 6am
- 'Britain’s loneliest dog' may have found a home as RSPCA issues weather warning
