Mum's fears over damp

A MUM fears a damp problem in her Great Yarmouth home is causing her family's health to suffer.

Dark black mould has spread throughout the bathroom of the Exmouth Road home that Marilyn Scarlett shares with teenage son Dale and baby daughter Kaitlyn.

The problem has got much worse since Miss Scarlett moved into the rented terrace house almost two years ago.

Dale, 14, suffers from asthma, which Miss Scarlett believes is being made worse by the damp, and 13 month old Kaitlyn suffers from frequent infections.

Full-time mum Miss Scarlett claims landlords Broadland Housing promised to deal with the damp last month, but nothing was done.

“The bathroom was treated early last year, which got the worst of the discolouration off, but it has since come back worse than ever,” she said. “Now the plan is to line one of the walls, but they all need to be done as the problem is so bad with damp patches all over the ceiling now.

“Nothing I have used to remove it has worked including bleach, but now I have been told not to touch the mould as it is a health risk. Broadland Housing has promised to come before and not turned up and each time I ring I'm told someone will call back, but they never do. It just feels like I am being fobbed off.”

Ms Scarlett is hoping to move from the house nearer Dale's school, Oriel High, but cannot swap with another tenant until the damp problem is dealt with.

Sarah Grieve, Broadland Housing marketing, communication and fundraising manager said: “A complaint was made by the tenant about black mould in the bathroom of the house in January 2007, which was dealt with at the time. The first we were aware there was a problem again was last month. Action is being taken and our team of contractors will be sent out as soon as possible to deal with this.”