A mum has spoken of her young family's upsetting reality of having to sleep in their living room due to their home being overrun by mould, as she has made a plea for help from Swansea Council. Jodi Evans lives at Ewenny Place in Clase, Swansea with her two children Freya, aged three, and Luca, aged four months.
Over the last few months, they said they had experienced a "huge outbreak" in mould, spreading throughout the house, a problem which Miss Evans, aged 24, suspected was causing health problems for her two young children, with multiple visits to the hospital and doctors as a result, together with missing school time.
Swansea Council has said a report of mould was made by the tenant on January 4 this year and that it had since carried out an inspection to look at if any work was needed, and had also offered advice. Miss Evans said the problem, which she described as "upsetting", had resulted in her having to throw away some precious family items which had themselves become mould-ridden. Get Swansea stories straight to your inbox with our newsletter.
READ MORE: Mum fears for safety of her children in mould-ridden flat
Miss Evans said: "I've been here almost four years. I've had two kids since I moved in, and I've never really had a problem with mould since I've been here, but in the last few months, there's been a huge outbreak of it. More recently now, it's come into my bedroom which I share with my four-month old. It is also in my three-year-old's bedroom, it has come into my bathroom, my living room, it's more or less everywhere. Now I've had to start throwing things away like my Moses basket, which is covered in mould. I'm having to bring the kids downstairs because of the mould in the bedrooms.
"Since November they have both been back and forth to hospital and doctors, because my son is now prone to asthma and has had bronchiolitis three times. My daughter has had to miss a full month of school because she was back and forth to the doctors with chest infections and viral infections and breathing issues. I don't suffer with chest problems myself, but I've done nothing but cough the past few months."
There is no evidence these illnesses are linked to the mould but Miss Evans is worried they could be.
"It's been quite upsetting, I've had to chuck my son's toys. I'm worried that something bad is going to happen to them. I've phoned the council and they have said they are going to send people to do all these jobs. With the mould I've been told to wash it and paint over it and I've explained that both my kids have been ill and I've been unwell. At the moment I've been trying to keep my kids in one room because their chests are getting so bad."
Miss Evans added: "It's horrible. It's supposed to be my home, and I'm having all these problems. It's more upsetting for me that I've got two young kids and I feel they are not even safe in their own home because they are bad all the time. I'm trying to get them out of the house as much as I can, but it's not as easy with the weather as it is, I'm struggling just staying in the house. You can smell the mould, and it's upsetting that my kids can't sleep in their own beds.
"At the moment, in the nights, my son is having to sleep in his pram and my three-year-old on the sofa with me. I just want someone to come out and sort all these problems. I just want this sorted. I just want the jobs to be done and for my kids to be safe."
A Swansea Council spokesman said: "A report of mould was made by the tenant on January 4 this year. We have since inspected the property to determine what maintenance is required, in an effort to reduce the effects of condensation at the property. We will also advise the tenant on mould issues in the home and how to manage mould as a result of condensation."
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