Mum says it feels like the council ‘is waiting for us to die’ in flat riddled with mould
Beverley Simms, 61, moved into her north London flat with her daughter, Shenika Francis, 24, in 2021, and says the mould has spread all over her home.
A mum has said it feels like the council is ‘waiting for us to die’ in a flat riddled with mould.
Beverley Simms, 61, moved into her north London flat with her daughter, Shenika Francis, 24, in 2021, and says the mould has spread all over her home.
She claims when they viewed the flat in Kentish Town there didn’t seem to be any problems, but just a few months later it was a different story altogether.
Beverley said she called the council about the growing issue in January last year, but it wasn’t until April, when the mould had spread into the kitchen, bathroom, and bedrooms, that someone attended, she says.
After a workman visited the flat in April, Beverley assumed the council was on to the issue but eight months later she says there had still been nothing done.
When the mould continued to encroach on their bedrooms, Beverley and Shenika, who works with special needs children, were forced to sleep in the sitting room and to bring all their clothes too.
At one point, Beverley claims there was mould on her tongue as it ended up on her toothbrush.
Now, she says they have discovered the mould on the settee they are sleeping on.
Beverley has also felt dizzy and had issues with vomiting, while she and her daughter have both had headaches, and claims all of these are symptoms of living with mould and fungus.
A doctor’s note says it is ‘very important Beverley is moved as soon as possible’.
It also said the mould is ‘causing stress and distress as well as exacerbating her symptoms of vertigo and heart palpitations’.
She said it feels like Camden Council is ‘waiting for us to die’ and has been thinking about Awaab Ishak, the toddler who was found to have died from prolonged exposure to mould.
The mother and daughter have been offered another property, but they claim the council is refusing to do all of the repairs they have requested.
They also want compensation as they bought many things new for the flat and believe it isn’t their fault that their belongings have been destroyed,
A Camden Council spokesperson said their focus is to move Beverley and Shenika to their new home.
They said: ‘They admitted that addressing the causes of the damp and mould has been ‘complicated’ because the council is the leaseholder for the flat, but isn’t the freeholder of the building.
They said: ‘We are here to help Ms Simms and her daughter. Our focus right now is helping the family move to another home permanently as soon as possible.
‘We have found a new home, decorated it and are offering to provide basic furniture, so that when the home is ready, the family will be able to move in straight away.
‘Addressing the causes of the damp and mould has been complicated by the fact that Camden Council is not the freeholder of the building, but we are treating this matter as a priority and are in regular contact with the family.’
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