Misery of mould and damp plaguing family's home

Mould and damp are making life miserable for a mum and her family at their home in Haywards Heath.
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Mum-of-three Colleen Clear, 30, says that her house has been plagued with problems since she first moved into her home in Washington Road four years ago and now she’s at the end of her tether.

“We have mould and damp in every room, other than my son’s bedroom, which is causing health issues with my partner and my son.”

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She said she had complained to her landlords - Affinity Sutton - who had carried out a humidity test at the property, but, she said, nothing else had been done.

She said there was mould and damp by the front door, on the kitchen and bedroom walls, ceiling and windows.

“I’ve aired the place out, I’ve tried white vinegar, sugar soap and bleach - none of it works,” she said.

And to make matters worse, the family has been without heating or hot water for the past two weeks after the boiler broke down.

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Her partner Neil Smith, she said, suffered from long-term breathing problems and asthma, as well as being bipolar, while her son was autistic and had mobility problems.

Meanwhile, she herself had arthritis in her knees and had damaged nerves in her spine.

A spokeswoman for Affinity Sutton said: “We do understand that Ms Clear will of course be feeling frustrated with the issues she has experienced at her property. Our gas contractor Robert Heath Heating has attended a number of times to complete repairs relating to different issues however as far as we are aware, the longest the boiler has been out of action for is five days – we agree that this is clearly still extremely inconvenient. Another appointment has been booked for today (8.2.16) and we are committed to finding a final solution for the boiler.

“With regard to the damp and mould, we asked a specialist to inspect the property in December and the cause was identified as condensation. Our repairs service CBS is going to install new mechanical extractor fans to assist the resident with the ongoing management of the condensation and is also going to investigate the supply and fit of a positive pressure system which brings dry air into the property, forcing out the moisture laden air before condensation occurs. CBS will be contacting the tenant this week to arrange suitable appointments for the works.”

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