A West Lothian woman has hit out after being left to live in a mouldy council flat for over a year.
Tamara Mcdonald, said she now fears for her health after the diabetic 40-year-old took the property on from the West Lothian Council in 2021.
Previously homeless, Tamara was left with no other option than to accept the damp flat, but had been assured that the problems with the property would be repaired before she moved in.
Living in her mother's living room while she was in hospital in a coronavirus coma, Tamara took the flat on based on the promises made to her by the council.
However, she has now expressed her anger at the true state of the flat, claiming that workmen had just wallpapered over the mould rather than treating it.
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Speaking to the Daily Record, the sign fitter said she has exhausted all options trying to get herself out of the property, but has hit a "brick wall."
She said: “It’s shocking that they can let you live in conditions like this. Mould doesn’t just go away - you have to treat it. It’s not just one or two rooms. It’s every single wall.
“I’m diabetic and they know that. But apparently it’s still okay for me to sleep surrounded by this mould. I’ve asked for a move, I’ve asked to swap houses. But I just feel like I’m talking to a brick wall.
“They are meant to be coming to fix it but yet I’m still waiting a year on. I’ve done nothing but complain and argue. I've literally had enough. It's really affecting my mental health.
“I've had many inspectors out to view the mould and they all say the same thing: it needs to be stripped back and treated properly.”
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Feeling as if she had been mislead into taking the flat, Tamara said the issues had been covered over with wallpaper and paint in an attempt to mask the extent of the problem.
Currently diabetic, she explained that the property is having an impact on both her physical and mental health.
She added: “I got offered the flat in April last year but I was homeless before and you only get one offer so I had no choice but to take it really. I was sleeping in my mum’s living room.
“She had been in a coma with covid and when she got out of hospital, she couldn’t go up the stairs so she really needed her space back. I couldn’t move into the flat for three months because the house was in such bad condition but I kept a key so I could keep checking in.
“That’s how I know they’ve not treated any of the walls. I said yes to taking this flat because they told me they would fix everything that was wrong with it. But what they’ve done is come out and actually just put wallpaper over the top of the mould instead of treating it.
“They’ve then painted the wallpaper so it takes longer for the mould to come through. It looks all nice - until you rip the wallpaper and you can see it’s still there. It needs to be ripped out and treated but yet here I am a year later and nothing has been done. I just can’t believe that someone signed it off as suitable for someone to live in.”
A West Lothian Council spokesperson said: “Our housing team has been engaging with the tenant and continues to do so. Following initial concerns from the tenant, an inspection of the property was carried out in May 2021 and work took place to rectify identified issues.
“After further reports of dampness in the property in April 2022, another inspection was carried out with the council engaging with a specialist dampness contractor to survey the property. This was carried out on the 4th May 2022 with no signs of rising or penetrating dampness found.
“Evidence of condensation was found during this inspection and recommendations were provided to the tenant to help maintain ventilation in the property. A further investigation of plumbing pipework within the kitchen was carried out on the 18th May 2022 and found no issues which required remedial action.
“To assist the tenant with the treatment of the mould affected areas, the council have agreed to carry out treatment and decoration.”
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