Mum claims children are struggling to breathe and 'going deaf' because of flat mould
A mum says her three kids are struggling to breathe and one is 'going deaf' because of a severe mould issue in their rented home.
Just two months ago, an inquest into the tragic death of Awaab Ishak ruled that the toddler passed away just days after his second birthday as a result of the mould in his family's flat.
Aisha Hussain is understandably concerned about facing a similar situation in her own flat as the conditions haven't improved over the past year.
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The 31-year-old explained how her eldest son Justin, 16, is asthmatic and has been prescribed steroids and an asthma mask to help him breathe.
Meanwhile, her 13-year-old Shay is 'going deaf' in both ears as his nose is heavily blocked, while her two-year-old son Shahroz is said to be experiencing sinus issues and is unable to sleep in his own bed as it's covered in mould.
Shocking images show the severity of the issue of the London property, which the family moved into in November 2021.
Aisha herself was also admitted to hospital with breathing problems and heart palpitations.
Although she's tried to use treatments on the house such as mould remover and has contacted her landlord over the ongoing problem, the stressed mum-of-three said she's 'slowly giving up'.
She explained: "It is so stressful. My health itself is very poor due to the amount of stress I am going through.
"I got my children a few Christmas presents and some of them are damaged with mould already.
"This month it has been a year since I have been fighting.
"My eldest son has got worse, the doctors have put him on a stronger pump, and the damp has caused a lot of damage.
"My bed is covered in mould so I have to sleep on the sofa."
Aisha is set to leave the property in April as the council has advised her not to renew her contract, but she is concerned as the family currently has nowhere else to go.
"The council found me a property but the landlord of that property said no," she continued.
"I don't know the reason why we couldn't go ahead with the property, I got a call in December and was told there was a property for me.
"I had a meeting and got told I could sign the agreement but the next day I was told it wasn't progressing any further.
"My current lease finishes in April and the council doesn't want me to renew the tenancy.
"I have a disrepair claim in but still nothing seems to be getting done."
At a loss of what else to do, Aisha has set up a GoFundMe to help cover the cost of new clothes and items that have been damaged by the mould - you can donate here.
Aisha explained that 'every property' she's been in since she was 16 'has had a problem'. And right now she's 'paying around £2,000 a month for a flat that is unliveable'.
"It is not just the winter," she added. "In the summer you can't breathe in this flat as there are three windows in total."
A Brent Council spokesperson told Tyla: "Our priority is to find Ms Hussain and her family a safe and secure home.
"Our housing team has been in regular contact with Ms Hussain, offering her the option of temporary accommodation until a new home is found.
"The welfare of the family is our main concern. We are continuing enforcement action regarding the landlord while working with Ms Hussain to find a property that meets her family’s needs.
"We would want to assure her that we are there to support her and her family from becoming homeless."
Daisy Phillipson