Blackheath Mould Issues Causing Couple Mental Torture
A couple in Blackheath faces ongoing mould problems, leading to severe distress and health concerns
Blackheath, Mould, Greenwich Council, Housing, Health
Blackheath: Kevin and Rita Barry have been living in their flat for nearly three decades. Unfortunately, mould has been a persistent problem since 2021. Rita says it all started when the council tried to fix some damp issues in their son’s bedroom.
She noticed mould creeping under the windows in their living room. Recently, the plastic guttering on the building has been causing water to soak the outside wall whenever it rains, leading to leaks in the bathroom.
Last August, the council replaced the guttering and repointed the bricks, which seemed to stop the leaks in the toilet. But the mould on the walls and floor is still there. Surveyors have warned that the wall will eventually need to be replastered.
Rita shared her frustration with the Local Democracy Reporting Service, saying, “The wall is all mouldy and horrible. We first reported it over a year ago. I walked in one night and found a big puddle on the floor.”
They also noticed that rain was hitting the living room window, leaving a wet patch on the sill. A council repair team came out last October and sprayed a sealant on the brickwork to stop the water from seeping in.
But Kevin said that after the sealant was applied, the mould started to appear. A surveyor told him that the retained water in the bricks was causing the problem. Since October, contractors have missed six appointments to check on the flat.
Kevin expressed his frustration, saying, “Weeks go by, months go by. It’s unbelievable, it’s incompetency.” He added that dealing with health issues is tough enough without the added stress of the council’s delays.
He described the situation as “mental torture,” saying it feels like the mould issues are never-ending. In late 2022, the mould in their bedroom got so bad that they had to sleep on a camp bed in the living room.
Even after the council did some work in February 2023, Rita received a call last month about a mould wash for the bedroom, which was already taken care of. She’s tired of constantly calling the council, saying, “They could get it all done in a week.”
A spokesperson for Greenwich Council said they are committed to ensuring residents have safe homes. They acknowledged some delays but mentioned that internal work has recently restarted and should be completed soon. They encourage tenants to report any damp or mould issues immediately.