Our Stockport home is riddled with mould - it's been going on for years and is getting worse

Dylan Cullen, 20, lives in a property on Otley Grove in Adswood, Stockport, with his mum Deborah Burke, 52, and 13-year-old sister. They lived there for the past 10 years and say damp and mould has always been an issue. But over the last few years the problem has become worse, they claim.

Mr Cullen said they first reported the problems to Stockport Homes four year ago, and have sent further requests for help since then – but so far nothing substantial has been done. He said surveyors have visited the property and advised to use mould and mildew spray, but the problem keeps coming back. The family was given a new bath a year ago, but Mr Cullen said it is already damaged by mould.

He told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS): “The house is riddled with mould, it’s all around, we’ve reported this many times with no help. It’s been going on for years, the whole time we’ve lived here we’ve had mould but the past few years have been worse.

“We’re living here, but we’ve got nowhere to turn. We’ve not had any reason at all why it’s not been sorted. We’re all getting lots of chest infections because we’re breathing in mould, and the walls are crumbling and it’s all going into us. It must be the mould and damp.

“We don’t want to move, we’ve lived here for 10 years. We’re hoping for changes to the property and a damp proof course but we’re just hearing nothing from Stockport Homes about this.

“The surveyors have said to spray mould and mildew spray which we have been doing, but it just comes back. My younger sister, 13, spends a lot of time off school due to illness and chest infections. It’s really having an impact on her school work.”

Stockport Homes has faced criticism from residents over the speed of repairs. The company, which manages the council’s housing stock as an arms length management organisation (ALMO), told the LDRS in February that it had a ‘backlog’, but that it was putting resources into dealing with the issue. The firm has also come under pressure from councillors, who in February voted to review whether the ALMO model is still the best approach for residents.

John Bowker, executive director of operations at Stockport Homes, said: “Our teams have been working with Mr Cullen following his report to ensure that the damp and mould he has reported is dealt with quickly. The property has been inspected by one of our surveyors and work has been arranged to address the issue next week. Our teams will ensure that the works are completed to Mr Cullen’s satisfaction.”