Tenant with incurable lung disease ‘caused by mould’ to sue Hackney council

Max outside his flat in Hackney, London, where he says black mould is making him ill. Photograph: Andy Hall/The Observer

A tenant with an incurable lung condition he says was caused by mould in his flat has called for greater punishments for councils and landlords that fail to act on “inhumane” living conditions.

In 2021, Max, 38, was diagnosed with sarcoidosis – an autoimmune condition triggered by exposure to certain irritants such as chemicals or fungus – four years after he had moved into a flat riddled with leaks, damp and black mould that was offered to him by Hackney council.