A 20 year old pregnant woman, her partner and child live in a mouldy council flat. They are forced to sleep in the lounge.
Toni noticed dampness back in November 2023. She is twenty years old. A council worker inspected their Blurton property in December, but no action happened until July 2024. The mould came back in October 2024.
Council staff repainted walls last November. Weeks later, mould covered the apartment again. Now, they worry about their two-year-old daughter’s health. Toni says the mould is everywhere, with patches in the corners of every room. Her decorations are ruined, and her daughter’s room is completely covered. The paint doesn’t stop the mould from growing back.
They now sleep on the floor because the mould situation is very bad. Toni wants to move, but the council says their apartment is livable. Her child is constantly sick, and her partner is also unwell. Toni coughs a lot and vomits.
The situation feels very stressful. She cries often at night and hears her daughter coughing. Her partner struggles too, and gets angry about the situation. They’re trapped in the living room now, lacking any personal space.
She fears for her daughter’s health, having read about a boy’s death from mould. This makes her worry about her child, and sometimes even fears losing her. Toni found out she’s pregnant in November, which has increased her worries. She fears bringing a baby into this environment.
She’s scared to bring a newborn home and has considered ending the pregnancy because of it. Although she is against abortion, her pregnancy is high-risk. She had pre-eclampsia last time, meaning a premature birth is possible, and she wants to keep her children safe.
They want the council to solve this problem, as painting doesn’t work and the mould keeps returning. Toni wants to move to a new place, and, ultimately, the council needs to fix the problem before someone else moves in.
Toni thinks the council’s response is poor and that they think she’s young and doesn’t understand. They look at the problem briefly, despite her calling them many times. The council needs to take them seriously, as everyone’s problems deserve attention, and they should not dismiss people for their age.
The couple asked Allison Gardner, an MP representing Stoke-on-Trent South, for help. Gardner said she was concerned as Toni and Leighton asked her for support because of the mould in their home. Expecting a child and caring for their daughter, they need a safe and healthy place to live, and parents shouldn’t worry about housing.
It’s worrying families face these issues, as mould exposure has health risks and children should grow up in secure homes. Their homes must be free of hazards that can affect their well-being. Gardner welcomes the council’s actions, as they adopted a new mould strategy, and the government provides funding and support. Awaab’s Law makes landlords act faster and fix dangerous mould quickly, with emergency issues needing addressing within 24 hours.
Gardner wrote to the council about this case, wanting families like theirs to get help. She looks forward to their reply and will push for improvements to housing, so all families can live in safe homes. A council spokesman gave a statement, saying they treated dampness in the bedroom before. More work is required after a follow-up visit, and they are talking with the tenant. The council wants to solve the issue quickly, with work scheduled to start on February 19.