Family forced to live in 'horrifying' mould-ravaged council house for months after being moved from ANOTHER 'risky' home

A FAMILY was forced to live in a "horrifying" mould-ravaged temporary council house for months after being moved from ANOTHER "risky" home.

Marie McManus, 36, said she was told the mould was “not that bad” by a surveyor at the temporary accommodation in Saxby Road, Brixton.

The council then offered to fix the damp and move them out – but a month on and the family of four are still living with the mould.

They were moved into the temporary accommodation because their home in Loughborough Park was being repaired.

After inspections, the mould was cleaned away and walls were repainted, but the leak and dampness causing the problems was left because the garden was too overgrown to put up scaffolding.

The council have been bashed for not "giving a damn" about their tenants and keeping the family living in the horrific conditions.

Ms McManus told London News: “I’m beginning to feel like our lives really do not matter at all.

“I feel completely devastated by a local authority who is supposed to have a duty of care to their tenants, and clearly they just do not give a damn.

“Adam and Chris are getting very angry.

“My friend for the first time has seen pictures and she turned around and said ‘Are you joking? You have got to get out before someone dies.’

“I want them to get their heads out and realise we are a family that is vulnerable, you have put us through this for twenty years.

“Stop making excuses, actually safeguard your tenants.”

Lambeth Council said they are aware of the issues and are in the process of improving the situation.

They said that mould wash and redecoration carried out and plans to address the guttering.

The council also said the property they had offered signalled their desire to fix the situation.

A spokesperson for Lambeth Council said: "Lambeth has more than 23,000 council homes our priority is ensuring these are safe and well-maintained for all our tenants.

"We have made many improvements in recent years, through our drive to upgrade all our homes in line with the Lambeth Housing Standard, but we have also concentrated on making improvements to day-to-day repairs and maintenance.

“The property at Saxby Road was made available to these tenants as temporary accommodation while their council home at Loughborough Park was being repaired.

"Lambeth’s contractors carried out a mould wash and redecoration to tackle the mould at the property, by arrangement with the tenant, earlier this month.

“We had completed repairs required at the property on Loughborough Park and a joint expert inspected and certified the flat as ready for the residents to return to.

"However, the tenants refused to go as they claimed they were at risk at both properties.

"After assessment by our emergency transfer panel, this was agreed as an emergency case and we are now working with the family to find them another suitable council home in Lambeth.”

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