At my wits end with mould !!

[inthedarkx]

I live in a council house which I have done for 10 years!! Every winter since I move in is the same the walls all upstairs get covered in mould!! I opens windows use my heating use dehumidifiers but it comes back fast every week after spraying with mould spray
Council know it needs major work but they skirt around it doing still little things that they know can get them through another winter without paying too much snd they manage to fob me off through summer till next winter!! It's so bad this winter !
I'll post a video of just my bathroom but all rooms are like This even downstairs along shirting boards in the kitchen it's mouldy! I think it needs a major damp proof course but council don't want to spend money.
I have a disrepair solicitor coming out tomorrow and hoping they can take my case on im so so depressed and low over this I'm ashamed of my house and I'm in no financial position to move and council won't move me ! I've got to get rid of loads more of my toddlers clothes and two more wardrobes this week. I can't afford this !!!

Environmental health

local papers

mp

head of the council

please ensure they all have your photos particularly of the children’s bedrooms

Also tweet photos of the kids bedrooms to council

The bedroom images are shocking

I would try your local MP. I did that when I had issues with the housing association that owned our block of flats and the MP put a lot of pressure on their CEO to act and wrote to them several times until they finally did something to address the problems.

Also contact the local press and shame them on social media with pictures of the mould. They don't like bad publicity like that...

There is a really good housing activist called Kwajo Tweneboa who has had a lot of success campaigning about poor maintenance in social housing and issues like damp. I would look him up and maybe contact for advice.

Agree with contacting Kwajo Tweneboa if you can. Publicly shaming the councils is often the only thing that works and he has been very effective in this.

Ombudsman should be your next step as they will follow up with your housing provider. You could also try the social housing regulator: www.gov.uk/guidance/information-for-social-housing-tenants

The Daily fail like to lift a thread! Perhaps they could lift one to highlight your plight. I’m so sorry op it must be absolutely awful for you.

My place is the same OP. Not to the same levels but it would if I let up for a second on the sprays. Literally a few days to a week and it’s back. I’ve used bleach solution I’ve used HG spray and all the others. HG is the best but stinks to high heaven. We’ve had our issues here for 15 years and it’s much worse this year. Dehumidifier running 24/7 and spraying and wiping all the time. It’s getting like whack a mole. Every single upstairs outside wall is affected. Worse in the north facing walls. I really do feel you. I’ve got so sick of the sprays and their stink lately that I’ve started using white vinegar and water. It’s working but possibly not for as long as HG but it doesn’t smell as harmful - just like a chippy.
Housing providers must be cursing the gov and media etc right now as they’re being held to account for something they’ve ignored and fobbed off for years. It took the death of a child and they still don’t want to be responsible.

You need to write to the Cabinet member for housing and cc your local MP. Stress any medical conditions and how it is affecting your children. This should expedite matters.

I was thinking this last night - could be the one time it's a positive from the Daily Mail .

You could contact a reliable builder and ask for an opinion. I would think it wouldn't take them long to suggest what the problem is. Does anyone you know know one?

Hello, so this is a recent pic of my kitchen corner. I have a free standing unit ( like a larger cupboard) in front of this wall but there is a large gap between this cupboard and the wall. Even though there is a large gap there is still all this mould on the wall and it's ruined my cupboard completely ruined it and it was less than 6 months old. I'm so depressed it's unreal! They know about the kitchen issues as well and I told them but they are not doing anything
Surely this is not 'condensation'

*larder

Christ OP. The photos are really shocking. Especially the one of your children’s bedroom. Please email your MP every day until they respond and attach the photos. And go to the press.

Op you need something stronger to treat it, I'd have a look online or at somewhere like screwfix or toolstation for a specific mold spray. It'll be more expensive, but what your using isn't killing the mold spores, just cleaning the visible mold on the wall!

This is awful.
all the people recommending different sprays - no no no. This is not a magic spray solution issue, this is a building in a really bad condition in serious need of insulation. People should not be living here.
please fight this! It sounds like there is loads of support but tricky to access. Don’t give up! Well done for posting here

Have you contacted Environmental Health?

Go to the press. Say about your kids and your worry from the little boy that died. Someone will print your story and then they have to act. I'd say it's your only option.

This makes me so angry, the presumption that every renter must be an idiot who can't work out how to deal with condensation. Surely the council see pictures like this and know it can't just be steam from showers or drying clothes that is causing it but still say that the only solution is to put on the heating and crack open a window.

Sprays aren't going to fix that and neither are special paints. The building needs serious work but it costs too much for the council to pay so people are having to live in such appauling conditions.

MAke a formal complaint and escalate to the housing ombudsman asap

Tell the housing ombudsman you have children and the mould is a serious health risk

@inthedarkx I'm so sorry to see these horrendous conditions.

1. You should use the website www.theyworkforyou.com This will target a letter to your MP. Do this tonight. You should be able to upload the photos to that site.

1. Also complain to the housing ombudsman via this - www.housing-ombudsman.org.uk/residents/make-a-complaint/

Which area do you live in and which council or housing association is your landlord?

@inthedarkx got mixed up with my websites - www.writetothem.com - will let you write to all your councillors and your MP. You said the councillor didn't respond, I bet they will if you write to all parties.

I have no practical advice to add to what you've already been told, but just wanted to post to say keep fighting this!

I know you're feeling so low, but channel your frustration and anger into keeping going and refusing to let them fob you off. Those photos are truly shocking, it is abysmal that you are being forced to live in those conditions. Don't give up!