A single dad living in a mould-infested home in Leeds has spoken out about the financial struggle to move somewhere “safer.”
Luke Hunter resides in a one bedroom flat, near Cookridge, with his daughter Bronte, three, who he has to share a bed with due to the lack of space in the flat.
The 27-year-old fell into debt after gaining custody of his daughter and owes over £500 to Sanctuary Housing before he can be moved somewhere else.
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However, he says he has been facing a number of problems at the house, including alleged mould in his bedroom and living room which he believes is due to bad ventilation.
Sanctuary says it is arranging a further inspection to be carried out to improve ventilation and condensation at the property.
He claims there are other problems at the home, including a horrendous smell in the bathroom which would made him sick for months and started in February 2021.
The smell eventually stopped but Luke claims a neighbour told him “dead animals” had been removed from the vents and thats where the smell was coming from.
Luke also spoke about a police raid which took place months after he moved in as it was believed the previous tenant used the property for drugs and weeks after moving in equipment he claims was used for cannabis farms was also removed from the property.
Luke, who has been trying to move for months said: “I got this property in October 2020 when I didn’t have custody of my daughter
“In 2021, I got custody of her from my ex-partner, she couldn’t look after her, I had to take her in.
“When I first moved in 2 weeks later I had to get drawing equipment used for a grow removed. I don’t know what was in the bag. I refused to touch it.
“A few months after there was a police raid at 4am for something to do with the previous tenant, the police said the property was used for drugs. I rang Sanctuary Housing saying I need a transfer now (to a new property). Luckily, my daughter wasn’t here.
“We’re having to share a bed. There’s mould all over the top of the bedroom and I’ve now got a solicitor involved.”
Luke, who is on Universal Credit, lost his job in a call centre after gaining custody of his daughter. He couldn’t afford to pay rent as well as her full-time nursery fees.
He now wants to move somewhere else so she can get a bed of her own and be somewhere safer.
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Luke was offered a property just before Christmas but was told to pay the arrears on his rent first. He applied for Discretionary Housing Payments which provides support or renting costs but was declined straight away.
He continued: “I couldn’t afford nursery, rent and everything there’s no way I could do it. My boss said I have to let you go, I lost my job. I was also engaged at the time but she couldn't handle my daughter so she left me. It's been very hard for me trying to get out of here and to raise her.
“There’s no lift access, there are times I’ve had to leave shopping downstairs to carry Bronte up to the house. When I went back downstairs to pick it up, it had been stolen. There’s nothing but problems. The stairs are sort of like marble like.
“When it rains it's slippery so most of the time when it rains we stay indoors.”
Luke states a social worker also wants him to leave the property and added: “I just want to get out of here. The only thing I don’t have is money.
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“They keep saying we can’t do anything because I owe arrears, it makes me feel like c***.”
A spokesperson for Sanctuary said: “We have visited Mr Hunter’s home to carry out work - including mould treatments - and are arranging for a further inspection to be carried out to investigate possible options to improve ventilation and reduce condensation. We apologise this inspection was slightly delayed.
“We have also been working with Mr Hunter in relation to his rent account so he is in a position to apply for a new home if a suitable property becomes available on the local waiting list.”
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