Mould has spread to my kids' toothbrushes - Salford mother

The mould is so bad in her children's bedrooms they sleep in the lounge, says Kym Austin

A mother said the mould is so bad in her rented flat it has spread to her children's beds, toys and toothbrushes.

Kym Austin said her landlord Clarion Housing had treated her Salford flat three times but it "keeps coming back".

She said she had to store their possessions in bin bags to stop the mould covering everything.

It comes after a coroner ruled Awaab Ishak died from exposure to mould in his flat. Clarion Housing Group said it was "committed to removing the mould".

Two-year-old Awaab died in 2020 from a respiratory condition caused by exposure to mould in his rented flat, coroner Joanne Kearsley concluded last month.

His father, Faisal Abdullah, had complained to his landlord Rochdale Boroughwide Housing for three years but they failed to solve the issue.

Housing Secretary Michael Gove said it was "unforgivable" and pledged that new legislation would hold landlords to account.

Mould has spread to her children's toys and toothbrushes, Kym Austin says

Ms Austin, who has lived at her mould-ridden flat for two years said the landlord had cleaned and treated it but the mould soon returned.

It is so bad in the children's bedrooms, they are now sleeping in the lounge, she said.

"They were choking at night time. It was that bad I'd have to go in and sit them up."

She said within a fortnight, they were sleeping much better.

She said she had tried to remove the mould by constant cleaning and "layers and layers of paint" at least three times, but to no avail.

"I've lost over half of my furniture. It infects everything.

"It is constantly coming back."

She added: "I can't keep on top of it."

Opening the windows "doesn't make a difference", says Kym Austin

She said she opens her windows "but it doesn't make a difference" and the mould quickly covers everything.

She has resorted to putting the family's possessions in airtight boxes or bin bags.

The spores are now spreading in her bedroom, including to a letter she wrote about four months to a chartered surveyor about the mould issue.

She claimed the landlord blamed her for the mould.

"They're basically saying 'it's your fault for having the heating on too much'."

The landlord said it would be carrying out repairs next month and the family would be placed in a hotel.

Clarion Housing said it would tackle the problem, adding Ms Austin and her children's wellbeing remained its "absolute priority" and it was "committed to removing the mould and resolving this situation as soon as possible".

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