‘This isn’t safe’: NSW renters fight twin battles against mould and landlords

A picture of mould in a Sydney rental property sent to Greens’ NSW MP Jenny Leong after she put a call-out on social media for people to share their experiences. Photograph: Jenny Leong, Greens NSW spokesperson for Housing

Once a month Paul sends his family out of the house. With a mask on and vinegar solution in hand, he gets to work scrubbing the mould off the roof and walls of his home. It’s in his bedroom, in the kids’ bedrooms and play room, the lounge room, the kitchen. A few days after the clean, it starts to reappear and Paul spot cleans the growth until it’s time for next month’s deep clean.

Mould has been an issue in his Wollongong home since he moved in with his family a year ago. “It just keeps coming back and we’re getting no help from the real estate agent or the landlord.”