Council flats full of 'mould, damp and rats'

Andrew Jones said he was concerned that the conditions in his council flat were affecting his six-month-old baby

Residents living in a block of council flats have said that their health is being affected by persistent problems with mould, damp and vermin.

Andrew Jones, 44, said his six-month-old daughter was increasingly "unsettled" by the conditions in his flat on The Lanes estate in Rotherham and he has been hospitalised with breathing problems himself.

They have raised concerns with MP Sarah Champion, who called on Rotherham Council to take "immediate" action to remedy the issues.

The authority's assistant director for housing, James Clark, said: "We have a zero-tolerance approach to damp and mould and work hard to ensure that it is dealt with promptly."

Rotherham Council workers discovered a rat stuck in a ventilation pipe leading into Mr Jones' property

Mr Jones said he was homeless before Rotherham Council helped to find him the flat at The Lanes in East Dene a year ago.

"Of course I was grateful when I got this place. I don't expect special treatment but within a week, water was running down the walls when it rained.

"The walls next to the playpen are damp, so my daughter is always crying and coughing."

The former rough sleeper said that though the council had sent an engineer out following his complaints, things had not improved.

He has also experienced issues with vermin.

"The rats come up from the outside. They come through the air vent into my kitchen. I've caught them on sticky boards. You can hear them scrambling at night time."

Rotherham MP Sarah Champion has called on the council to take immediate action to remedy the issues

Maureen Parker, 84, has been living in The Lanes for 10 years. She said she has been complaining weekly for four years and was only now being moved to alternative accommodation.

"It's been horrible, rain coming in constantly. I told them I suffer with my chest but it made no difference."

Champion met with residents last year to discuss the issues and expressed "disappointment" that the problems still "persist."

"I have raised this with the council several times. It's concerning that this has not yet been resolved as we know the health risks from damp and mould, particularly for elderly or vulnerable people."

Lynn Taylor, 55, has also lived on the council estate for more than a decade. She said the people were "fantastic" but the constant issues were "draining".

"I have heart disease and have just come out of hospital with pneumonia. The draught is unbelievabale.

"I use all my money for gas to keep warm. I'm in tears, my daughter has to speak to the council now because I find it too heartbreaking."

Lynn Taylor has lived on The Lanes estate for over a decade. She described the constant issues as "draining"

Last year Rotherham Council spent more than £1.4m on repairing damp, mould and disrepair in its social housing properties.

In a statement, Mr Clark added: "I can confirm that our officers are working with residents in East Dene to carry out essential repairs.

"As part of this commitment, the council has undertaken surveys of our homes in The Lanes in East Dene to proactively identify hazards including roof and balcony repairs, leaks, and damp and mould."

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