Couple 'feel trapped' in home affected by mould

Simon Hunt, pictured with Paula Reece, said when they viewed the property, "it was fine"

A couple with a six-month-old child said they felt trapped in a home badly affected by mould and damp.

Simon Hunt, who lives in Brierley Hill, West Midlands, with pregnant partner Paula Reece said a problem started to occur a month after they moved in to the privately-rented flat last year.

Ms Reece said the family were constantly ill "with chest infections, coughs, colds". Their son had been to hospital with issues doctors said could be caused by mould, Mr Hunt said.

The landlord said they were working with lettings agent Connells and the tenant "to get the mould issue resolved".

The property had been fine when the couple viewed it, Mr Hunt said.

They started to report problems about a month after moving in.

He added their son, who had a "really bad" cold for a while, had been to hospital "with bronchitis... which the hospital did say can be caused by mould".

This photo shows a wall in a bedroom at the property in Brierley Hill

Ms Reece said they were "literally stuck" and it was "really stressful".

She added: "Everywhere we've turned, it's hitting your head against a brick wall. Nobody's listening. Nobody cares."

Ms Reece said they had "nowhere else to go".

She stated: "[We've] tried council... and [we're] always at least halfway down the list, so that's nowhere.

"We can't move in with family, because then the council won't help. They've said if we make [ourselves] intentionally homeless, they won't help."

The porch at the home was also affected

The landlord, who asked not to be named, said a damp contractor attended the property in May, and advised the tenants to keep the property windows open, as this would help the circulation and to not keep drying (their) clothes inside the property against the windows in summer months.

This advice was "ignored by the tenants," they added.

"We have been struggling for months to find suitable contractors to attend the works as the tenants have advised that only one contractor can be in the property at any time."

Letting agent Connells said it worked on behalf of the landlord and "we continue to work with them to organise the works to address the issues raised during the tenancy".

Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council, concerning the involvement of its private sector team, said teams within housing and public health would "investigate and take enforcement action to protect tenants and ensure landlords comply with their legal obligations".

Ian Bevan, cabinet member for housing and communities, said: "We are aware of this matter and of completed and ongoing remedial work being undertaken by the landlord to address the issues raised by the tenants."