A single mum has said she is terrified for her three-year-old son after he reportedly developed asthma from untreated mould in her home.
Macy Tyler, 22, lives in a Redbridge Council-provided flat in Basildon, Essex where conditions are so bad she says she'd rather live on the street than spend any more time there.
The bathroom ceiling has been covered by black mould for more than two years, causing asthma and alopecia, which is a hair loss condition.
And a broken extraction fan has made the damp problem even worse.
She claims her son vomits from the coughing triggered by his asthma, which is made worse by the black mould.
Ms Tyler told LBC : "It's toxic, this home is slowly killing us. I just want to get out, I'd rather live on the street than spend any more time here."
A letter from the family's GP reportedly states that the mum has been struggling with anxiety and depression as a result of the flat.
She had also been referred for treatment for alopecia caused by the mould.
Her three-year-old son has developed breathing problems and is now prescribed an inhaler.
The letter goes on to ask the family to be rehoused as "a matter of priority" as the doctor says that they are very worried about their health.
In a statement to LBC, a Redbridge Council spokesperson reportedly said the condition of the flat was "unacceptable" and apologised for the delay and distress.
They said the flat is managed by an independent letting agent that has "repeatedly failed" to carry out work, despite "being contacted by the council on 9 separate occasions".
The council reportedly say they are exploring legal avenues and vow to take action against the agent.
It adds that they have been in contact with Ms Tyler and will remain in touch until the issue is resolved.
The statement continued: "We are currently carrying out a review of all properties to ensure work is being completed as it should. We must stress that our tenants' safety and welfare are our number one priority, and we work hard to remedy issues when they emerge. On this occasion the time taken is inexcusable."
Ms Tyler said learning of Awaab Ishak' s death has made her more worried about her son's health.
Awaab, two, died in December 2020 after his parents' pleas to deal with the mould in their flat in Rochdale were ignored, a coroner ruled last week.
The toddler's parents, Aisha Aminin and Faisal Abdullah had repeatedly told RBH that their home was dangerous.
At the weekend Rochdale Boroughwide Housing (RBH) chief executive Gareth Swarbrick was finally sacked after the board ruled his position was untenable.
On Monday, Michael Gove said he met with bosses at RBH after a coroner ruled Awaab has died as a result of black mould in his home - but was disappointed with their response.
Mr Gove, Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities told members of the Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Committee: "Even when in RBH's case they had all these problems brought to their attention the board felt it was appropriate to keep the chief executive in place.
"You shouldn't just blame an individual, but the chief executive and the board should carry the can.
"But in the meetings, I had with the then-chief executive and the chair I wasn't convinced that they appreciated the scale of the change that was required in order to serve people well in Rochdale."
A spokesperson for Redbridge Council told The Mirror: "The condition of Ms Tyler and her son's home is unacceptable, and we apologise for the delay and distress this has caused.
"The property is managed by an independent letting agent who has repeatedly failed to meet their contractual obligations and carry out work, despite being contacted by the council on nine separate occasions regarding this situation. The council is currently exploring legal avenues to hold the agent to account. We will take action on these failings, and payment to the agent will cease with immediate effect.
"The council has been in contact with Ms Tyler and is arranging for her home to be cleaned. A dehumidifier was provided ahead of urgent remedial work being conducted by the agent this week. Further steps will be taken should the work not be completed as expected, and the council will remain in touch with Ms Tyler until the issue is rectified.
"We are currently carrying out a review of all properties to ensure work is being completed as it should. We must stress that our tenants' safety and welfare is our number one priority, and we work hard to remedy issues when they emerge. On this occasion, the time taken is inexcusable."
