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'I spend my evenings hoovering up mould'

BBC A couple in their living roomBBC
The couple moved property to make life easier, but say they are now living with a serious mould and damp problem

"We moved here for an easier life, but now I spend my evenings hoovering up mould".

The nightly cleaning routine began for Robert Whiteley four months ago when damp and mould appeared in the one-bedroom housing association flat he shares with wife Alison in Nottinghamshire.

The damp and mould developed, they say, following an untreated leak from an upstairs flat.

The housing association, Platform Group, has said it is working with the couple to resolve the issue.

Mr Whiteley moved to the flat in West Bridgford three years ago after his long-term disability worsened.

The couple first noticed a spot of damp in the living room in July, caused by a leak above their flat and contacted the housing association.

Mould in room
Black and green mould has spread into the kitchen, the couple say

A plumber looked at the problem that month, but the dampness and mould has "spiralled" since, the couple say.

The leak has also impacted all of the property's pull chords, a device that triggers an alarm to alert emergency services that people in the property need assistance.

Mr Whiteley say the pull chord in the living room began going off at random intervals, and all the chords have now been switched off - leaving him "helpless" in an emergency.

The 63-year-old lives with osteoarthiritis, a degenerative bone disease that affects his ankles.

"I struggle to walk, I use crutches and I can't use the stairs," said Mr Whiteley. "My ankles are crumbling away."

Damp on the ceiling
The couple say they contacted their housing association numerous times about the leak

"As the [pull chord] system is broken, if I were to have a fall and my wife was not in, what would I do?

"How long would I be lying on the floor for?

"We feel neglected by them. They keep telling us they'll sort out the issues but nothing's happened."

Mrs Whiteley says she worries deeply about when the problems will be fixed.

"You just don't feel like you can relax in your own home. I am supposed to feel safe and secure here...but I don't anymore," she says.

"We wake up to mould spores all over our desk and on the floor.

"I feel the difference in my chest when I spend lots of time at home and then go to work.

"Even if they begin to fix it now - how long will it take? I can't bear the thought of spending Christmas like this."

Mould and broken pull chord
The leak has compromised the property's main pull chord in the living room

The couple say that if work does not start to fix the problem in the next few weeks, they will have to consider moving.

Mr Whiteley added: "If we are forced to move into private rented accommodation, it may not be adapted to my needs.

"We don't want to leave this community; we love the people we've met here."

Martin Woods, head of external contracts at Platform Housing Group, said: “We are sorry to hear of our customer’s concerns.

"We have been in touch with him directly and are working with him to solve the issue.”

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