A mum says she and her four-week-old baby have been forced to sofa hop because their flat is so mouldy.
Katie McAulay, 26, from Cambridge, has lived at the flat with her partner Aiden Ohlemann, 28, for almost three years and complained about the problem to Cambridge City Council more than a year ago.
On top of this, their front door has expanded due to dampness and has been totally unusable for six months.
Katie and Aiden say the council’s only advice was to ‘open the windows, spraying the mould and using mould-proof paint’.
With the problem continuing, Katie and her newborn has been forced to leave the flat, which her partner is continuing to stay in.
She said: ‘I’m between all of my family at the moment, I have been staying with my mum, sister and grandmother a few days at a time so I can give everyone space because obviously, I can’t stay there permanently, so it’s just a fighting battle at the moment.
‘They’re very supportive, but obviously it’s difficult.
‘My anxiety is through the roof at the moment because I just don’t know where I’m going next because I don’t want to come to the property apart from for appointments.
‘It’s really hard. It does have a big effect on both our mental health. It’s upsetting for the whole family unit because we’ve got to be apart.’
Talking about the mould, Katie added: ‘It just got worse, it just started coming through the paint, the ceiling got worse and since then it’s just gone all the way through the property.
‘The kitchen, the wardrobe has got it, the hallway, every room has got some type of mould, whether it’s a little bit or a lot.’
Someone attended to fix the door ‘by trimming a bit of the door off so now we can open and close it easier’ Katie explained but adds ‘it lets in a draft because there’s a gap now.’
She added she was a ‘high risk pregnancy’ and had spoken to the council to make them aware but said they felt like they were ‘just ignored’ and ‘nothing was done’ about moving them.
Katie also developed tonsillitis twice while staying at the mouldy flat and both her and Aiden developed headaches on a regular basis.
A health visitor who visited the flat on September 23 raised an issue about the ‘worrying health implications this can have on a newborn baby’.
Cambridge City Council has now promised it will take ‘remedial action’ to address the issues.
A spokesperson said: ‘We have worked with the tenants to investigate the damp and mould issue at this address including commissioning a survey from an external contractor, along with additional inspections from council officers.
‘The survey report confirmed that excess condensation was causing the mould due to lack of ventilation in the property.
‘As a result we have agreed to take several remedial actions to address the problem.
‘These will include a full wash down to clear existing mould in three rooms (a supervisor discussed this procedure with the tenants on Wednesday October 5); replacement of the extractor fan in the bathroom and the installation of a fan in the kitchen; and replacement of the kitchen floor covering.
‘In addition, we have advised the tenants that, once these remedial actions are complete, the ceiling needs to be repainted and we will offer the tenants redecoration vouchers to assist with this.’
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