More action needed on mould and damp, tenants say

Debbie Hart said the mould and damp were making her children ill

Housing association residents affected by mould and damp have called for more action to get the problems fixed.

People living in a Watford tower block said their social landlord had tried to rectify the issues but the solutions had not worked.

A tenant at another site said she was worried about the effect mould would have on her unborn child.

The association apologised for not resolving issues more quickly and said it was "working with the customers involved".

Concerns have been raised about issues with damp at Munden View

Debbie Hart has lived in Munden View, a 17-storey tower block on the northern outskirts of Watford, for 10 years.

She said Watford Community Housing Trust (WCHT) was usually "OK about coming out" to fix problems but had not successfully dealt with recent water leaks and appeared reluctant to try again.

There is evidence of damp and mould on the ceilings and walls and in cupboards.

Evidence of the effects of damp can be seen on Debbie Hart's walls

After a recent leak brought more damp into the house, the association provided a dehumidifier but, according to Ms Hart, water still came into the flat from the outside.

There are three children in the house and she is worried about what the mould and damp is doing to them.

"They're getting sick. They've been back at school for two months and, in that time, each of them has been off sick," she said.

There is mould in a cupboard caused by a water leak

Neighbour Carl Palmer also has mould in his house,

He said: "I've been here 23 years and the mould has got worse."

He described the current situation as "terrible - mainly the bathroom, my daughter's bedroom and in my linen cupboard".

He said WCHT had been out twice to clean the mould but it was still appearing.

Carl Palmer said mould had been getting worse over the year in his flat

The BBC has been told about another case at a WCHT site in Abbotts Langley near Watford.

A heavily pregnant woman who lived at Throstle Place contacted her local councillor earlier this year to say she was struggling to cope with severe mould and was worried about the effect on her son and unborn baby.

Following the birth of her baby, she was still living in the same environment and, despite carrying out a mould wash, WCHT had not solved the problem.

A woman living at Throstle Place has been worried about the effect of mould on her two young children

New laws introduced this week require social landlords like WCHT to inspect mould and damp problems within 10 working days and fix them within a further five days.

In a statement, WCHT said: "We are aware of the cases that have been raised and we apologise for not resolving them more quickly.

"However, we have been working with the customers involved, taking their individual circumstances into consideration.

"Repairs have now been fully completed for the customer at Throstle Place.

"Initial repairs have also been carried out for the customer at Munden View, with replastering works scheduled to take place as soon as possible, and we are continuing to offer additional support to both households."