Sheffield father fears for children's health in mouldy flat

Sayed Sadat says he fears for the health of his two children, aged four and eight months, due to the damp conditions

A father says he and his family are still living in a damp, mouldy flat months after medical professionals warned it was not safe.

Concerns were raised about Sayed Sadat's home in March and the family moved out in May for work to be carried out, but said the problem had returned.

Last month a GP said Mr Sadat's eldest son had health problems "likely caused by or exacerbated by the damp".

Sheffield City Council said it was working with Mr Sadat's landlord.

Mr Sadat, who moved from Afghanistan to the UK in 2021 after the Taliban returned to power, said: "I worry about my children, their future, because now they are not good. Especially during the night they are not breathing well.

"My son is crying every night saying 'I don't want to sleep there'".

Sayed Sadat and his family moved from Afghanistan to the UK in 2021

A letter signed by a health visitor in March this year and seen by the BBC stated: "The house they are currently living in is not safe."

In May the family moved out for two months to give time for issues to be resolved. However, Mr Sadat said the damp soon returned.

After visiting the property last month, the family's GP wrote a letter, to give to housing officials, outlining concerns over the damp. In it he said Mr Sadat's eldest son had a persistent cough, struggled with his breathing at night and had a skin infection.

Another medical professional, Prof Ian Sinha, a consultant respiratory paediatrician, warned living in damp condition could trigger "lifelong conditions".

Mould was visible on the walls an bedding when the BBC visited Mr Sadat's home

Landlord Roger Willey told the BBC a lot of money had been spent on the house to ensure it was free from damp and mould. He added that he had let houses for 25 years without any problem.

In a statement, Sheffield City Council said although it does not own the property it treated all reports of damp and mould seriously.

It said it was supporting the tenant and the landlord "to ensure all issues are rectified", adding it was "disappointed" to learn issues had returned after work was done by the landlord.