A mum was shocked to find out that her energy bill is increasing to £5,000 a year. The loving mum-of-three, who wishes to remain anonymous due to safety reasons, says her home is mould-infested and mushrooms are growing out of the floor.
She has forked out £15,000 in the last five years, and says the bill is so high because she heats her home to keep out the cold and keep the damp under control. Large areas in the kitchen, hallway and bedrooms are covered in black mould.
She also suspects that some of the tiles on her front room may contain asbestos. Clarion Housing, the company that manages her home, has apologised and made arrangements to move her to a new property.
Speaking to Surrey Live, the mum said: “It’s been a nightmare since I moved into the house five years ago. I am spending all of my time battling Clarion. When I look back, this house has actually ruined my life.
"I thought I was failing them [my children] by not having enough money, but all the time the house is so damp and cold I’ve had to keep spending so much and it’s taken all of my disposable income. I’m in debt because of it.
"I’ve spent money on the house thinking it was going to be my forever home. I’ve put Oak flooring in, I’ve had the bathroom tiled and they are refusing to give me back my costs. They are completely aware of the hardship I’ve been put in, it’s not acceptable.”
The mum is having to work weekends, alongside her day job, in order to make ends meet, and is asking Clarion to reimburse her for all the money she has spent on heating.
A spokesperson for Clarion Housing apologised and has now moved the family to a different property. While they offered compensation, their comments suggested a reimbursement for energy costs was unlikely.
“We are sorry for the inconsistent service provided to her and her family over the last five years," the spokesperson said. "Where there have been mistakes on our side, we have offered appropriate compensation in line with our policies.
“Progress is being made and we are pleased that she has now accepted a permanent move to another property. A specialist is investigating the reports of asbestos and has found no evidence so far, but we will provide the resident with the full results once completed.
“The rising cost of living and the increase in energy costs is outside of our control as a housing association. Residents are ultimately responsible for the energy usage in their homes, but we do all we can to help. As part of the service provided to her, she has been referred to our charitable money guidance team for advice and support.
“We remain committed to working with our resident to resolve the issues she is experiencing and our housing team will continue to provide support where needed.”
