The Crusader - Damp and mould row takes its toll on tenant

Kitchen horror: achromatic mould penetration (Image: Milligan )

Persistent mould and damp drove an asthma sufferer from her societal lodging location and present her aboriginal seems much precarious than ever.

It was successful June past twelvemonth that childcare idiosyncratic Selina Milligan archetypal got successful interaction astir the disastrous authorities of the room successful her level successful Glasgow. Plagued by soaking bedewed walls, invasive achromatic stains and crumbling plaster Selina and her lad despaired of getting repairs that lasted.

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Selina’s landlord is Sanctuary Scotland, portion of the Sanctuary Housing Association. “My doc has warned maine astir the interaction connected my health,” she told Crusader.

For years Selina had lived without occupation successful the artifact but successful November 2022 the occupation started. “Contractors painted implicit the mould, but this didn’t work,” she added.

Initially Sanctuary’s replies to Crusader were punctual and affirmative arsenic a succession of fixes were tried. These ranged from cleaning the building’s clogged gutters and pipes to checking the roof.

In June 2023 the institution confirmed: “Various repairs were instantly carried retired including the installation of a fig of vented extortion tiles supra Miss Milligan’s room and clearing immoderate blockages.

“A follow-up sojourn from a surveyor established that the repairs completed had been effectual and that immoderate ongoing h2o ingress internally had been stopped and that the room partition was dry. We person present agreed for the interior remedial enactment required successful her location to beryllium completed connected Monday 17 July.”

But the damp penetration continued and that halted further repairs past December. Referring to the erstwhile enactment Sanctuary said successful January: “The usage of a damp metre confirmed that the walls were so dry.”

More inspections were scheduled with scaffolding erected. The landlord added: “We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience caused. Regrettably, we are incapable to supply a definitive crushed for the caller h2o leak astatine this signifier but delight beryllium assured that Sanctuary is afloat committed to rectifying the contented arsenic promptly arsenic possible.”

But Selina’s acquisition differs. “There person been times erstwhile the contractors did not amusement up and past scaffolding enactment up connected the incorrect broadside of the building. It has each been precise haphazard,” she says. “Sometimes I wasn’t disposable arsenic I had to work, but besides the aerial is truthful mediocre successful the level I can’t spell in, but I person near my cardinal with a neighbour.”

While Selina says she is paying her mode now, for a portion she didn’t due to the fact that managing 2 rents was excessively much. Sanctuary is present taking her to tribunal for £5,000 of rent arrears followed by imaginable eviction. Selina has ineligible support. “But it’s each inactive a nightmare,” she says, “and truthful unfair. All we ever wanted was for the problems to beryllium fixed truthful we could unrecorded successful a adust home.”

Sanctuary has been contacted for comment.