A single mum has described living in a nightmare flat with mouldy walls, missing roof tiles and windows that let the wind whistle in on her and her five-year-old son.
Klaudia Giedo and son Alex have been reduced to sleeping on the sofa after mould engulfed their two-bed flat.
Part-time lithographer Klaudia says the mould started spreading across their flat in winter 2021 but attempts to solve the problem - including wiping the walls and painting over the mould - have so far failed to solve the issue.
The mum described how she liked to keep a clean home but the persistent mould has left her at her wits' end after the Housing Association had repeatedly failed to fix the problem.
The 26-year-old described how clothes and furniture had been destroyed by the mould, which left the flat smelling of fungus as she feared for her son’s health, StokeonTrentLive reports.
"I've been sleeping with my five-year-old boy on the sofa who has been uncomfortable.,” Klaudia said.
“There are clothes in the wardrobe that we can't wear as they are covered in mould.
"When you first enter the flat, you can smell the damp and mould. The sofa smells now. You can't lie down on the beds so you've got no other choice."
The mother-and-son have lived in the property since 2017.
Klaudia added: "We've had Midland Heart out about five times. On the wooden door, the handle keeps falling off. The bathroom window isn't on properly and the wind is coming through. Alex's room is tiny and we don't use it.
"We had new furniture around two years ago. It cost around £3,000 and we had to get rid of it. You can see all the patches of mould in the furniture.
"It's bad enough being a single mother, working and caring for my son. To get somewhere, it really feels like I have to start again. I want to get a new home but with today's prices you can't afford anything."
Klaudia says water drips from the ceilings.
She added: "It's horrible. When I wake up in the morning and I put the gas on, it is still really cold.
"I keep the living room warmer by using an electric fan. But all of our duvets and blankets are literally wet. Back in 2022, we had a full inspection and they found that the roof was missing tiles. I think that's why it has got worse this year.
"You don't know what impact it's having on your physical health. It's that cold in here. I did turn on the heating but it doesn't really do anything. You can feel the wind coming through the windows. Everything needs to be fixed now, we need new doors and a roof.
"It has made me feel really bad. I really do take care of the flat. Everyone who knows me knows Friday is my deep clean day. Nowadays, even when I do my deep clean, I can sit and smell it still. It seems nothing seems to help. I'm usually such a clean person. It's horrible."
Midland Heart has apologised to Klaudia.
Director of assets and delivery Gary Dulson said: "We are sorry that Ms Giedo has experienced this issue and that the work we have done previously has not been able to fully resolve the problem. To ensure that the action we take now is successful, a dedicated damp and mould specialist has revisited Ms Giedo’s home to understand why the issue has continued.
"We have undertaken a further treatment and arranged further works that we are confident will provide a permanent solution to the problem. We have also offered to provide alternative accommodation until the repairs are fully completed."
