6 months pregnant and living in council flat with damp and mould

Frugal_Mouse

dehaani wrote: »

You could scrape it off and sell it to those wacky Quorn eating weirdos? Make some money, everyone's happy! Problem solved!

Thanks dehaani, I have always wanted to be called a 'wacky Quorn eating weirdo'

Not sure how this is going to help sarah7377 with a serious and worrying problem???

Sarah, sorry that you are having problems. I hope that it gets sorted out for you very soon.

lizimuffin

We have had the same problem, we have penetrating damp, and as my husband has health problem this was not helping. As has been suggested before take loads of photos, put them on a cd-rom and take it into your housing office. Get as many letters from proffesionals as possible ie Doctors/midwife etc advising that the current property is affecting your health. Contact your local MP (it's coming up for election time so they should be more than willing to help!) And the most important thing, keep on them always be nice but forceful, if you are nasty and shout them they are less likely to want to help, ring them everyday, email them etc. The problem with a lot of Councils/AMLO's is that they try and fob you off, blaming each other etc, don't let this happen....document everyone you speak to and what they have said. We did all this for about 4 months, they eventually gave in and put us at the highest housing band, and we have now been offered somewhere much better, no damp and a better area.

I hope this helps, good luck, it is difficult but persist and don't let them win!

hothothot_3

It is unlawful for a house not to be fit for human habitation - sounds to me like this is possibly a case and suggest you go to CAB and keep pushing the council to do something about this.

spike7451

When I left the RAF,my housing exec put me on a 7 year waiting list so I had to rent private.That place was damp.I got a letter from my doctor,gave it to the NIHE & got a appartment in a month.
I suggest,as you're pregnent,you try thr doctor route.

savemoney

OP hasnt been back since posting 10 days ago. I never understand new posters why they do this is getting far to common unfortunately

delain

basieman wrote: »

Hiya Sarah7377,


P.S. I don't know whether you are claiming JSA- income based, but if you are you may qualify for a Community Care Grant to help with removal costs, carpeting and furnishings, and any personal items damaged by the mould and damp.- Again... Good Luck.

When I applied for a grant from them when I moved from a damp flat they said I 'didn't need wardrobes' :eek:

Even though 90% of my furniture disintegrated when the removal men tried to pick it up!

DCFC79

OP have you managed to get this sorted yet

sarah7377_2

Thanks to everyone who replied back soory i have not replied sooner but been very unwell, since my last post our housing officer has been round again and suggested we open the windows (yeah right when its -3 outside helpful) so i have now contacted our Enviromental Health Office who have put me in contact with an officer who i am waiting to hear from(been 2 days), and if i dont get no joy from them then its the CAB, i asked our HO to be moved as my health is not getting better but cause im not an immigrant or on benefits i dont qualify to be moved can u believe it!!!!!! will keep u all posted and thanks again:)
Sarah7377

sarah7377_2

Also me and my husband both work dont get any benefits or help and since my original post the mould has spread to our bedroom, bathroom an hall.

Lobell

sarah7377 wrote: »

Thanks to everyone who replied back soory i have not replied sooner but been very unwell, since my last post our housing officer has been round again and suggested we open the windows (yeah right when its -3 outside helpful) so i have now contacted our Enviromental Health Office who have put me in contact with an officer who i am waiting to hear from(been 2 days), and if i dont get no joy from them then its the CAB, i asked our HO to be moved as my health is not getting better but cause im not an immigrant or on benefits i dont qualify to be moved can u believe it!!!!!! will keep u all posted and thanks again:)
Sarah7377

No, you may not qualify to be moved for any number of reasons, none of which are related to your ethnicity or income. Also, there isn't an endless supply of social housing to pick and choose from, you know.

While your LA/Council does seem to be rubbish at dealing with what is a failry simple issue, what you have is a straightforward condenstation problem which can be easily sorted. Hopefully involving the Environmental Health people will expedite a resolution by your LA but, if not, send a letter by recorded delivery to the Chief Exec, copied to the Manager of the office responsible for your area. Nothing gets things moving in a housing department faster than a letter to the Chief Exec