A family-of-four left sleeping in their living room for months due to concerns about mould and damp in their flat will be moved out temporarily while work is carried out.
Kirsty Needham, from Ottery, says she has been fighting with East Devon District Council (EDDC) ‘for months’ over the state of her flat – after concerns from health professionals.
The mum-of-two has lived in the council property for three years and noticed items, including her new baby’s push chair, were wet and covered in mould.
The family has received letters from health visitors declaring the bedrooms in the property as not suitable for Lily, eight, and Lexxi, two months – with her eldest struggling with breathing issues.
An EDDC spokesman said the council has visited on a number occasions to work with the tenant to resolve the issue, and has sent a specialist contractor to carry out urgent work.
Kirsty said: “It’s the fact that everything started to get wet. We also have a new born to think off. My eight–year-old’s bedroom is soaked carpet and mattress and my baby’s push chair is destroyed our sofas and some clothes. Everything feels damp everyone who comes in can smell it and get chesty as well as ourselves. What I feel needs to be done is things like replacement of the carpets, they are just so damp, I walk into the room and I feel damp on the bottom of my foot. My daughter’s bed has mould and she is sleeping in my room. I do not want to come back to wet carpet, damp. It’s not affordable for me to buy new mattresses and sofas.
An EDDC spokesman said: “Following a visit and an inspection of the property on Tuesday, the council has offered the family temporary accommodation while the remainder of the essential work is carried out.
“We hope the family will accept this offer and we will support them throughout. We are extremely concerned at the condition of the property and remain fully committed to ensuring that it is fully repaired for the family.
“We know that the family has been actively considering moving from the property and we will of course advise them accordingly on the process for doing this.
“We are working to understand the reason for the delays to work being carried out and will continue these investigations.”
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