A WORRIED mum-of-four says her family are all struggling to breathe after being crammed into one tiny mould-infested bedroom.
Kayleigh Templeton, 29, moved into her first home with her son, Trey, now 10, in August 2013.
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At first, the two-bed London flat provided everything they needed, until she gave birth to her three other children, Kayden, nine, Makayla, six and Evelynn, three.
Their home quickly became crowded and the mum hoped to find another form of accommodation quickly to tend to their needs.
But Kayleigh claims their situation has since worsened, as mould started to spread across their home in Kingston.
And although they’ve recently received a mould wash, it’s started to quickly return and is affecting her children’s health.
The worried mum said: “My kids are breathing in the mould daily and it’s causing difficulties with their breathing,
“I’m concerned about their lungs and the long term effects this is going to have on them.
“I’ve already had to take two of them to the doctors for a persistent cough.
“I’m also worried about their emotional wellbeing because of the stress of being on top of each other in this tiny space.
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“I have to try and keep it all together in front of my children so that they’re happy and safe – but it’s becoming unbearable.”
Kayleigh claims that as her children are getting older and are in desperate need for their own privacy, fighting and arguing happens daily out of frustration.
Currently, all four of her children are sharing one bedroom and the upset has caused her son, Kayden, who has autism, to lash out and punch holes in the wall.
I have to try and keep it all together in front of my children so that they’re happy and safe – but it’s becoming unbearable
Kayleigh Templeton
She said: “I’m scared he will seriously hurt himself or others around him – it would be a tragic situation if this was to happen.
“He’s started to wet the bed again and I think this has a lot to do with the stress of our living setup.
“I can’t work anymore due to his needs and I know that if he had space to run around in, this would help him and I’d be able to get back to work.”
Kayleigh claims she initially contacted the housing association, PA Housing, in October 2020 for new accommodation and hoped to be placed on the priority list.
But she’s allegedly been repeatedly told her only option is to continue bidding on other available properties for the foreseeable future – suitable or not.
‘NO ONE CARES ABOUT US’
Now, she’s sharing her ordeal in a bid to raise awareness and says the situation is affecting her parenting.
Kayleigh added: “I can’t take the frustration away from my children and I feel like such a failure.
“I can’t fix the situation we’re in and it makes me feel sad knowing the only option we have causes my son to hurt himself to release the stress.
“It’s been so difficult for me to be a good mum and my family needs a healthy space, where they don’t have to breathe in mould.”
She continued: “They need privacy and the room to relax after school without being on top of each other.
“My children shouldn’t all be crammed into a bedroom with two sets of bunk beds, especially my older sons with their sisters.
“It’s left us feeling isolated and like no one cares about us.”
Ian Watts, Executive Director of Customer Services at PA Housing, said: “We’re sorry that Kayleigh and her family are living in a home that is now too small for them and that they have had issues with damp and mould.
“Our first priority is to treat any mould as quickly as possible. Our contractor completed this treatment earlier in March and we apologise that it wasn’t done more quickly.
“Our surveyor has also carried out an inspection and further work to improve ventilation has been completed to help eliminate the mould.
“A new extractor fan was fitted to Kayleigh’s bathroom and the kitchen fan was also overhauled.
“We had hoped these measures would improve the family’s situation, but are contacting Kayleigh to see what else we can do to help.
“In addition, we are also working with the family to support a move to a larger more suitable home.
“They are on PA Housing’s transfer register, but very few larger family homes become available in Kingston upon Thames.”
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What to do if you have a mouldy house
- Landlords have a responsibility to fix mould and damp if it makes a property unsafe for someone renting to live in.
- The landlord’s responsibility starts when they are made aware of the problem, so it’s important that tenants let their landlord know as soon as possible.
- You may be entitled to a payout if your landlord refuses to carry out repairs – your landlord is responsible for most of the repairs that need to be carried out on your home.
- If you feel your landlord is not taking reasonable steps to keep the property mould-free or if you feel their heating and ventilation demands on you are excessive, you should attempt to speak to them about it.
- You could ask them to provide a dehumidifier as a way to combat the issue.
What are your rights?
- Renters can sue landlords over damp and mould – renters in England and Wales can take their landlords to court over problems including cold and damp homes.
- If your landlord does not take action, you can report them to the local authority or take them to court.
- If you are a social tenant or your landlord is a member of a voluntary scheme then you can complain to the Housing Ombudsman.
- You may be entitled to compensation if they fail to carry out repair work within a reasonable time.
