A West Lothian woman has hit out at the council saying she has fought with them for over a year to fix black mould that had been “papered over”.
Tamara MacDonald, who is diabetic, said she is worried about how the damp and mould that she found all through her Addiewell home is effecting her health.
She said the she was shocked to find the black mould underneath her wallpaper and says it wasn’t treated properly in the first place.
Tamara said she felt she had to take the house as she was living with her mum - who had recently been a coma after contracting covid - in a cramped home and claims she would go back to the bottom of the housing list if she didn’t accept it.
She said: “The council have just flung wallpaper over my mouldy walls without treatment.
“They have clearly just left my kitchen still full of mould and flies etc. I’ve even had to get pest control out to clean my garden as it was full of dogs mess and I don’t have a dog.
“The house wasn’t fit for anyone to stay in all my ceilings where cracked and even the head inspector said I should of never been given this house.
“I’ve been fighting with them for over a year to fix this, I am just scunnered.”
Tamara continued: “I‘ve had many inspector out to view the mould and they all say the same thing it needs stripped back and treated properly.
“They even out-sourced an inspector and even he said that mould just doesn’t just disappear.
“They are aware I have diabetes and worried about the mould, I didn’t have a choice at the time but to take the flat as I was sleeping in my mum’s living room but she was just out of hospital after being in a coma with covid and she really struggles to get up or down so really needed the space.
“It’s a tiny house, sister and brother already stay there.
“You only get one choice and if you don’t take that offer then you go back to the bottom of the housing list and could be waiting years again.
“My housing officer said it would all get fixed properly but we are over a year on and nothing is happening.”
A West Lothian Council spokesperson their housing team had been engaging with the tenant and would continue to do so.
He continued: “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 effected areas, the council have agreed to carry out treatment and decoration.”
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