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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To expect the Valspar paint we used not to make me ill and homeless at 34 weeks pregnant?

99 replies

virginiaejohnson · 09/08/2017 18:30

I'm at my wits end.

We are getting ready for the baby, so whilst ex has the kid on holiday we decided to get the house redecorated in a oner. Stressful, but a short push and we'll be all settled for the baby.

One room from being finished we noticed a smell like cats pee coming from the newly painted bedroom. We checked with the upstairs neighbour who had cats, but her house was completely fine.

The next day the smell intensifies, now it smells like gas, so we get the gas board out to check us and next door. Everything's fine, it's probably the paint he says.

My partner Googles this and finds hundreds of people who have had this problem. People have been rehousing cats, ripping up carpets, getting rid of couches, all because they didn't know where this smell came from. Valspar removed an additive that prevents bacteria from growing, so now when this paint is exposed to light and/or damp the bacteria are activated and start giving off ammonia and hydrogen sulphide.

That night, we go out to a film to try and take our minds off it. We feel so much better to be out of the flat, when we get home we try to just tough it out, sleep through it. But our eyes are burning, our throats hurt, my ears are blocked and my stomach acid is really really bad. Not just late pregnancy bad, but 250ml of Gaviscon in one night, swigging from the bottle bad.

We flee the house at 1am to stay at a friends house. We spent the next 2weeks

OP posts:
BlitheringIdiots · 08/07/2018 08:18

I also fell poorly when we used Valspar paint. I've banned it in our house now

BlitheringIdiots · 08/07/2018 08:25

It was though. At the time we were painting I felt poorly and had horrendous stomach ache. Didn't connect the two. It got worse the next day. Did a google at the time and people were reporting that they had stomach ache from using Valspar paint. So sorry you are wrong. Maybe this is a different thing but my symptoms were to do with the paint and I wasn't the only one

henpeckedinchief · 08/07/2018 08:29

A friend of mine who is a chemist has pointed me in the direction of a study that has linked hydrogen sulphide to pre term birth

What a bloody stupid and unhelpful thing for your friend to do!

I'm so sorry OP, this sounds awful for you.

Don't bother with legal action - it will be hugely costly and time consuming, and very difficult to achieve the level of proof you would require. You also wouldn't get a huge amount of money - even if totally successful you would at best be looking at a refund of the original price, the cost of fixing the problem, compensation for any expenses or loss of earnings, and then a nominal sum to cover your health issues and the distress. But damages for distress, even in cases of quite serious injury, are rarely more than a few thousand pounds. For your injuries you would be looking at a couple of hundred.

A better bet is a watchdog, or social media shaming.

Good luck, and I hope you are back in your house soon.

MynameisJune · 08/07/2018 08:43

Maybe I’ve been affected by paint fumes but isn’t this thread nearly a year old?

ThomasNightingale · 08/07/2018 08:44

The OP’s baby will be coming up to its first birthday now I hope.

DontOpenDeadInside · 08/07/2018 09:09

I painted my daughters' room in valspar paint last June. Didn't realise what the smell was until it hit the news and emailed b&q who "passed it on to valspar" Well I'm still waiting for a response. I emailed again a few weeks ago (the smell is getting worse in warm weather) and again no response. Are people getting their rooms redecorated? Or just the paint to redo it? It took me absolutely ages to do their room as I put stripes on the walls in different colours. It's so embarrassing to walk in the house and smell cat pee.

To expect the Valspar paint we used not to make me ill and homeless at 34 weeks pregnant?
LakieLady · 08/07/2018 09:48

This sounds awful. Why the hell wasn't the new formula thoroughly tested before it was put on the market, ffs?

A lot of paints have a smell that triggers migraines for me, but usually they're the undercoats for gloss. When a few minutes of exposure to the smell has me throwing my guts up, I totally get how it can cause all sorts of symptoms.

I really hope that everyone who's used these paints gets a good outcome, and that you get this sorted soon, OP.

SouthWestmom · 08/07/2018 09:52

@DontOpenDeadInside

We had to send pictures of the paint tin and proof of purchase.

We used the paint cover stuff they recommended and then had it repainted in normal paint. We got a decorator to do this because I wanted to make sure it was done properly.

Valspar covered this.

DontOpenDeadInside · 08/07/2018 09:56

Thanks Noeuf, I no longer have the receipt but know the day it was bought on (thank you Facebook! Lol) I did send pics of the paint back in Sept but as I said no reply, if they need them again they're right at the back of the outhouse which is a pain. Just wish they'd reply at all tbh.

ThanksForAllTheFish · 08/07/2018 09:57

Zombie thread.

AgentProvocateur · 08/07/2018 10:07

Zombie thread, but still relevant. I had three rooms professionally decorate before Christmas, and all was fine until this hot weather started. The smell of cat pee/petrol is now horrendous. My decorator is going through the complaints process with B&Q on my behalf, as he bought the paint. This whole thing has been a monumental fuck-up.

BlueJava · 08/07/2018 10:10

I have read about this - I think it was featured on the BBC's consumer show. Also here www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/07/20/bq-customers-compensated-complaining-paint-smells-like-cat-urine/

Some people were saying they had to re-plaster! Sorry but no advice.

SouthWestmom · 08/07/2018 11:19

Our decorator used the stuff they recommended and it's been absolutely fine.

DontOpenDeadInside · 08/07/2018 11:34

It's really peeing me off. I only decorate around every 3-4 years. My daughters' room is the biggest in the house and it took me 3 days to do it. So now I have to buy the sealant (£43) do 2 coats of that, then buy more paint (I bought 2 big tins and 5 tester pots which was around £60) then put 2/3 coats of paint on. Wasting another 3 days of my time. And no contact since September. Will never buy valspar again. (Just decorated my living room and my bedroom and made sure I bought Dulux)

SouthWestmom · 08/07/2018 15:25

You should contact them again. They had so many complaints to deal with that you are probably in the system somewhere

TheMagnificentEthel · 08/07/2018 16:39

Call Citizens Advice Consumer Service.

DontOpenDeadInside · 08/07/2018 21:00

I tried to reply to my last contact but the email was not recognised. So I went on b and Q's chat and they sent me the 1st email again which I replied to with everything except I only put a photo of 1 paint pot as the rest are right at the back of the outhouse, but if they need them I'll dig them out. This was 2 weeks ago.

Bearfam · 08/07/2018 21:36

This is really worrying for me as we've painted a whole room in valspar paint and a wall in our bedroom. However they've been absolutely fine. I've heard of this problem (after we painted) so you're definitely not alone. Sorry this is happening when you're pregnant too. They seem to know it's a problem so not sure why the paint is still for sale? Hmm

RunMummyRun68 · 09/07/2018 18:40

Majority of valspar paint is absolutely fine.... it was a certain batch of bases

No new paint is affected

3sisters · 30/04/2019 18:43

I am experiencing the same problem. Painted the hallway, staircase, Landing and Skylight. 4 Layers of Homebase paint (Duracoat) and a nightmare job to do. Finished the job in Nov 18 and the smell came out on Easter bank Holiday week end with the heat and the windows opened. (5 month after). I had headache, sore throat and sinuses. My son"s eczema was worst on his chest and asthma. Maybe a coincidence but my dog got sick twice over that week end. After being told I was an "isolated case", the manufacturer is agreeing on covering the cost of primer and 2 coats with a professional. My problem is I still don't know how toxic the smell is as obvious chemical reaction created with sun heat and oxygen. A bacteria activated can generate the urine smells or a VOC (Volatile Organic Compound) polluting the air in the house. The B&Q scandal was in 2017 and it is still happening now but different supplier. This has to be shared, as if we are all told we are "isolated incident" and paid to "cover up" and keep us quiet then it will not changed! I am furious as my DS is immunosuppressed and we are kept in the dark about the long term health hazard. Any idea on how to go about Victim Group action to have more pressure to get this investigated?

Moomoo90 · 10/05/2019 16:45

ILL BECAUSE OF VALSPAR PAINT

Hi all l too have suffered this same experience using valspar paint. So, purchased and used this paint June 2018, shortly thereafter off and on I began to smell what l thought was a damp mouldy, cat wee kind of smell. The following months seen me visit my doctor on numerous occasions for mainly for headaches and fatigue. I've had countless blood tests, blood pressure checks and even a brain/head MRI scan all coming up with nothing. So fast forward to April 2019 when l am thinking about some more decorating and searching the internet and l come across the stories about valspar paint and other peoples problems/health. So the question I'm asking does anyone feel they have been made permanently ill? Is anyone still suffering after redecorating? Does anyone even know what the fumes are being given off? i.e what chemical. Also considering they have pretty much admitted liability (by giving refunds ?) has anyone sued? All comments are much appreciated

Moomoo90 · 11/05/2019 11:02

Hi 3sisters I'm new to this site and just discovered l could reply directly(?) to you, my guess is you're sent an email? Would love to speak further with you.

Lea1437 · 11/05/2019 12:16

Zombie thread

NoHolidaysforyou · 11/05/2019 12:49

I say this as someone who used to live in America...

Do not buy anything that is from an American company if you are not in America! These companies know that they will not be sued to an oblivion here and take advantage of that to save a few dollars.

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