Lincoln: Mould hotline set up after surge in council calls

Amber Jenkins said she did not know how dangerous mould could be until she heard about the inquest into the death of Awaab Ishak

A council has set up a hotline to deal with a surge in enquiries about mould problems after the death of two-year-old Awaab Ishak.

The boy's mould-related death in Rochdale led to a tenfold increase in calls to the City of Lincoln Council.

One tenant in the city said she had been complaining for six years about mould in her council home.

Councillor Donald Nannestad said: "Every effort is taken to ensure tenants live in a safe environment."

He told a full council meeting on Tuesday: "There has been significant additional demand regarding mould on councils across the country.

"Since the Rochdale inquest, we have set up a short-term team to respond to these quickly and give assurances."

Worried mother

Mother-of-three Amber Jenkins, who lives in a council house in Lincoln, said she first complained about mould in her property six years ago.

A new bathroom was installed two years ago but the mould has returned and is clinging to the ceiling, walls, window frame and shower curtain.

Ms Jenkins said she was worried that her two-year-old son had been exposed to the mould for most of his life and feared her eight-year-old daughter's asthma could also be linked to the problems.

She said that as soon as she heard the news about Awaab's death she phoned the council again.

Amber Jenkins said that when she cleans the mould off with bleach it returns within days

"I didn't know it was as harmful as it was, I don't know if there's going to be ongoing problems. It scares me," she said.

"I'm very upset about how I have let my son live like that."

She said she had cleaned the mould with bleach but it returned "within a few days".

Ms Jenkins said she felt "embarrassed" about the mould and wanted the council to get to the "root of the problem".

A council employee had been to assess the situation earlier in the week and had looked at installing a different extractor fan.

A new bathroom was installed at Amber Jenkins home two years ago but the mould returned

The council meeting was told that the number of enquiries was rising daily.

Councillor Nannestad, portfolio holder for quality housing, said: "The number has increased tenfold since the inquest, and the numbers are increasing every day.

"It is important to take each case individually.

"There is information on social media on how to manage air flow, damp and mould. When we visit properties, we also give practical advice."

He said the time it took the council to deal with mould problems varied according to the severity, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.