A distressed mother-of-four says her baby daughter is 'struggling to breathe every night' due to excessive mould in her flat.
Charlotte Green, 26, has been battling leaks and dampness since 2017 at her two bedroom property in Lewisham, South East London. In Octoberher eight-month-old daughter began to suffer from respiratory problems and was rushed to hospital with bronchiolitis where she received oxygen through her nose until she could breathe on her own again.
Two months down the line, troubling footage shows the youngster continuing to struggle to breath as she gasps for air while holding an asthma pump, the Mirror reports.
Referring to the unsettling footage of her baby girl, Charlotte said: "Every night she's like that. About six to seven weeks after she was born she started having breathing problems, but it's only got worse.
"As soon as I walk into my bedroom that's it, she starts coughing. I sit her up then put double pillows and blankets around her cot to keep the warmth in.
"I also try and move anything affected by the damp away from her, so she doesn't breathe it in. When she's outside she's got the fresh air, which does help, but it's as soon as we get in she starts coughing."
The mum also said her other children are being affected too from the mass of growing fungus in her walls as her two-year-old son has also been to hospital several times due to breathing difficulties. Additionally, she added that one of her other daughters has started suffering allergic reactions including swollen lips and eyes.
The fearful mum is concerned that her children's health is being impacted by the black mould which has covered their belongings and even came through their insulated walls which were designed to keep the problem away.
Charlotte said: "It's everywhere. You can literally smell it as soon as you walk in, as well as on clothes and toys.
"It is seeping through that badly. Surveyors came around for a housing disrepair claim and they tested every wall for how much damp is in it.
"They said it's over 30 percent in every wall - it's meant to be under 10 percent. The communal areas are also soaking wet. There are condensation droplets coming off the ceiling and in the lifts."
The mum has been in contact with Greenwich Council multiple times over the past five years but has only been provided with short term solutions.
She continued: "I've tried to paint over it, we've had insulation walls and it just keeps coming back.
"They've told me how to ventilate the property better, but I have my windows and my air vents open when I'm out during the day. When I come back I close them and put the heating on for a little while, then I turn it off to stop the condensation.
"I have a tumble dryer and don't dry clothes on the radiator, which they used to complain about. I've moved everything away from the walls because they've said to keep them room to breathe, but it's still coming through.
"They just keep trying to say I am the one to blame for not ventilating the property."
Charlotte also added that she has been left without hot water or heating for the past four days due to a problem with her boiler but she is struggling to afford the expense of running electric heaters in the meantime.
She added: "It's literally like living outside. It's just keeping us dry at the minute because we've got a roof over our head, but the weather outside feels the same temperature as inside the house."
The council have organised an appointment with Charlotte for January 12 but she remains doubtful that the issue will be fully resolved. She said: "They'll probably come around, look at it, say to dry out the walls and that will probably be about it."
Charlotte's story comes as the Mirror launches its End Housing Hell campaign which demands that council, social and private housing tenants are fined if their properties fail to meet the minimum safety standards required for living. Latest statistics reveal that there are 3.5 million homes that do not meet the Decent Homes Standard.
This includes 2.2 million properties that have at least one Category 1 hazard such as asbestos, mould or dangerous electrics. Greenwich Council said it has awarded Charlotte's family a rehousing priority, but that demand remains "extremely high".
A coroner ruling recently concluded two-year-old Awaab Ishak had died from a respiratory condition which had been caused by exposure to mould. The toddler's family had continously made complaints about their unsafe flat in Rochdale but no action was ever taken before little Awaab's death in November 2020.
A spokesperson told the Mirror: “We know that damp and mould is a big concern for our tenants and leaseholders and it’s something that we take extremely seriously. The council is working hard to resolve Ms Green’s housing situation and understands the impact this has had on her family.
"Extensive repairs were carried out to the property in September 2021, which included adding insulation to the walls in the bedroom, hallway and front room, and repairing a leak from the property above. At the beginning of January, we’ll be carrying out further inspections to find out why the mould has returned, and organising any additional remedial works that may be required.
"We’ve also awarded the family a rehousing priority, backdated to April 2022, which includes all four of Ms Green’s children. However, due to the national housing crisis, there is an extremely high demand for social housing and a shortage of council homes both in Royal Greenwich and across the country.
"Those who have been awarded a priority are still waiting a minimum of three years before they are likely to be rehoused. We will continue to remain in close contact with Ms Green and do whatever we can to support her family while they are bidding for a new council home."
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