Retired steel worker David Collins points behind a set shelves in the corner of his lounge. "It gets thick with mould down there," he says. "I clean it and paint it myself because it gets bad."
The 68-year-old says there are similar problems in his bedroom in the one-bed flat on Dukinfield's Central estate. "There's cracks in the bricks outside - I think that's where the damp's getting in," he adds.
"As long as I keep cleaning it I'm not that bothered (about the risk of mould), but it shouldn't be my job to keep cleaning it. It should be their [the landlord's] job to sort it out."
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During a day spent on the estate on the outskirts of Dukinfield town centre, the Manchester Evening News found several other tenants were experiencing similar problems. Sharne Whittaker says she's suffered from mould and damp in her one-bed flat in the estate's Lyme Terrace block since moving in eight years ago.
In her bathroom a sizable patch black mould can be seen on the wall around the toilet. "All the wallpaper is peeling off," she said. "They say it's coming from behind the wall, so it's all going to have to come out.
"I'm trying to make it a nice place to live, but every time I do everything just starts peeling off again. There's no chance.
"When it's windy the blinds rattle because of the draughts through the windows. My mate used to live on the bottom floor.
"She had two little children, but she had to move out a couple of months ago. The mould covered the wall in the children's bedroom from floor the ceiling.
"She kept having to replace her son's mattress because of the damp and mould. It was disgusting."
The Central estate, made of up around a dozen brick and concrete three storey blocks, is run by housing association Jigsaw Homes. Last week the Manchester Evening News reported on the death of Jigsaw Homes tenant and anti-poverty campaigner Karen McBride.
An inquest heard how the 46-year-old mum-of-four was found dead at her home in Stalybridge after years of struggle, fears over money and 'uninhabitable' living conditions. Ms McBride's family said they believed the 'failings of multiple agencies led to her death'.
Her daughter, Codie said when they moved into the house on Rydal Walk on December 2019, there was no gas or electricity. Giving evidence, Codie listed a range of serious defects at the house, including black mould which she said made them ill, and pigeons nesting in the loft.
In a statement following the inquest Jigsaw Homes said Ms McBride was receiving support from a number of their services, including Inspire, which provided intensive support and Money Advice who were helping her with her housing benefit claim and who reassured her that we were not actively pursuing rent arrears.
They said it was 'standard practice' to 'isolate' gas and electricity supplies in between tenants for safety reasons.
Back on the Central estate an Alderley Terrace resident, who asked not to be named, told how she's had to replace three carpets due to damp in the 13 years she's lived there. Gesturing towards to the flower boxes on the balconies outside she added: "The flats are not the priority at all.
"They are trying to make it look nice on the outside, but that's just masking the state of the buildings. I've lost wardrobes, clothes, three carpets, all because of the mould.
"I've reported it and reported it, but all they do is come out and paint over it. The whole building needs a new damp proof course."
A Wellington Terrace tenant told how a few years ago half the wall in her bedroom was 'covered in black mould'. She says Jigsaw Homes replastered the affected area, but the damp is now coming back through and causing the paint to peel off once again.
"You shouldn't expect people to live in conditions like this. I said when they did it I said it's only going to be a matter of time before the damp comes back and that's what's happening now.
"The flats have been here since the 60s. I think they need knocking down and rebuilding."
But several tenants spoken to by the M.E.N. said they had no problems with their flats and said the estate was a decent place to live. Kirsty and Lorna Connor moved into Lyme Terrace in August and have nothing but good things to say about the estate.
"They keep it nice and tidy, they water flowers and mow the grass," said Lorna. "There's a community hub where's there's always someone from Jigsaw to talk to if you have any problems.
"We get on well with most of the neighbours. It feels homely. On some estates you wouldn't say book to a ghost, but it's far nicer on here."
A spokesperson from Jigsaw Homes Group said: "We are continuously making sure we identify and respond as quickly as possible to reports of damp and/or mould. As our residents here have mentioned, we have already inspected their homes and are dealing with their cases.
"In two instances they were reported by our residents and the other was picked up by our proactive annual property inspection. We have a process in place to work with residents to deal with mould in the first instance, if it is not caused by an obvious property defect, such as a leak.
"We then contact residents after four weeks to check if this has resolved the issue. If not, we would do a home inspection to thoroughly investigate the cause and take appropriate action.
"In the case of Mr Collins, a repair was done to his brickwork last week to stop water ingress, which should alleviate the problem. Ms Whittaker in Lyme Terrace has an isolated problem in her house and we have agreed a convenient date with her to mould wash the area behind her toilet.
"We believe the resident on Alderley Terrace is also being attended to, but we are unable to confirm this without a name or address. Our employees report damp or mould problems during inspections and routine visits and we are delivering damp, mould and condensation awareness training for staff.
"There is a dedicated page on our website and we have produced a guide translated into different languages and formats, which offers advice on preventing and dealing with damp, mould and condensation. We would ask any of our residents who may be concerned about damp and mould in their own home to contact us."
