A woman living in 'damp' sheltered accommodation has hit out after finding mould growing on her toothbrush. Karen Pringle said she has tried to stop the mould growing in her home but it is now affecting her health.
As reported by Chronicle Live, Karen lives in the Gateshead Council sheltered accommodation property in Ryton with her husband Tony. She said she knew the bungalow was damp for the whole six years they have lived there; they have treated and painted the bathroom 19 times to try to eliminate the mould.
"Everything is spoilt," she said. "I thought it was bad enough when I found mould in my underwear drawer, but when my toothbrush was covered as well, I just thought enough is enough."
As well as the bathroom problem, other issues include:
- A leather biker jacket which Karen bought for Tony for Christmas but she had to throw it away when it became too moudly to clean
- Having to plan her wardrobe for her best friend's funeral two days in advance as everything she wanted to wear was covered in mould; and
- Stepping straight into slippers after a shower due to mould on the bathroom floor.
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"We have always had problems with mould as long as we have lived here," said Mrs Pringle, who is registered disabled and uses a wheelchair or mobility scooter. "About three years ago, a Gateshead Council contractor said the damp was caused by two outside walls that needed repointing, and since then, despite calling regularly, we have heard nothing.
"As well as my mobility problems, I also have COPD, and the damp atmosphere is masking this so much worse. We pay full rent and council tax for this bungalow, the heating is on pretty much all of the time and the windows are opened regularly.
"I am pretty sure we could not do any more than we are doing. It is miserable living here."
She added: "We are sick and tired of the situation now. It is not doing our health any good at all and we just want the work to be done and the damp to go away.
"I think we have been more than patient. We have lost a lot of possessions as they have just got too mouldy to revive. My husband's jacket was the third one we have had to throw away and they cost £500 each."
A spokesperson for Gateshead Council agreed with Mrs Pringle that the repairs should have been carried out before now. "We are aware of the outstanding repair at the property and sincerely apologise for any stress and inconvenience that may have been caused to Mr and Mrs Pringle during the delays," he said.
"We will look to prioritise these works and will be contacting Mr and Mrs Pringle to provide a full update and schedule the necessary repairs. We will also discuss the damage to their possessions with a view to compensating them for their losses."
