'She couldn't breathe - her lips turned blue': Worried parent fears for daughter's health in mould-ridden flat
16 November 2022, 13:07 | Updated: 24 November 2022, 15:18
James O'Brien hears from a worried parent about the state of mould in his council flat
Following Awaab Ishak's inquest verdict, A 'scared' father spoke to LBC about his mould-ridden council flat, and how the conditions lead to his daughter developing bronchitis.
While the verdict into Awaab Ishak's cause of death has been reached, the story is far from over, and many housing association tenants still live in 'uninhabitable' conditions where mould and damp thrive.
Andy from Nottingham is one such tenant and spoke with LBC's James O'Brien about his dangerous flat and the non-existent support that his housing association have provided on the issue.
"I have seen the news article [about Awaab Ishak's inquest]," said Andy.
"We are going through exactly the same thing, my daughter is two and we live in a housing association home".
Andy then revealed to LBC that his daughter had recently been hospitalised with bronchitis, which has caused her asthma to worsen.
"I was in the hospital with my daughter on the same day [that I saw the news article]," said Andy.
"She was blue in the lips because she was struggling for breath, we just don't know what to do, it scares me to death".
READ MORE: 'This is truly horrific,' says Awaab Ishak lawyer as he cites racism a contributing factor in death
James O'Brien then questioned Andy on how much contact he's had with his housing association, and what he plans to do to resolve the issue.
"We have been onto the housing association for months and months about the damp in our house," said Andy.
"Nothing has been done, we'd even been down the solicitor route".
Andy told James that their solicitor drafted up a list of requirements that the housing association had to follow. Andy shared that they had "done stuff", like painting over patches of mould with magnesium paint", but that "[the mould] is coming back through again".
James acknowledged that this isn't a matter that Andy could take into his own hands, as opting to resolve the issue himself could breach his tenancy agreement.
While Andy's doctors are unable to pinpoint the exact cause of his daughter's ill health, they have stated that there is a "high chance" that there could be a link between her intolerable living conditions and her breathing difficulties.
