Bolton: Couple get new home for baby son after mould issue

Sheena Davies, 28, says she first noticed mould in the house when she looked at the property in 2018, but that it was only a small amount, and she didn’t think this would be an issue.

She says it then became a bigger issue in 2019 and that they have made every effort to remove mould, constantly using mould remover, as well as a device installed in the bathroom.

Bolton at Home temporarily moved the couple out to allow work to be carried out this year, but the couple say it continued to reappear and get worse when they moved back into the property in October.

Some of the mould in the kitchen (Image: Newsquest)

Sheena suffers from asthma, and her husband Marco suffers from a lung condition, but they were most concerned about their son D’Artagnan who already has sensitive lungs.

Sheena said: “It wasn’t as bad when we first moved in.

“But people who come in can smell the mould.

“We feel like we can’t be in there too long because it sits on your chest.

“We can do treatments, but we shouldn’t have to go through this with an eight-week-old baby.

“You can see the condensation down the walls.

“I wake up every morning to find a puddle at the front door.

“You don’t expect it to be a reality.”

In the living room (Image: Newsquest)

More awareness of the dangers of mould has been raised after Awaab Ishak, two, died in December 2020 from a respiratory condition caused by mould in the one-bedroom housing association flat where he lived with parents Faisal Abdullah and Aisha Aminin in Rochdale, Greater Manchester.

Marco says that it became so bad that he had to wear a Covid mask to go to sleep due to the mould on the windowsill next to his bed.

He said: “I didn’t want to wear a mask, but I felt like I had to.

“I was more concerned for my son.”

The mould has also made its way on to their clothes and furniture, meaning they have had to throw away some things.

They are currently having to store some clothes in the baby’s travel cot to avoid them getting mould on from the wardrobe.

Some of the mould made its way on to Sheena's jacket (Image: Newsquest)

But after Bolton at Home were contacted by The Bolton News the couple have since been offered a two-bedroom house, with a front garden, which Sheena and Marco have accepted.

She added: “We will be moving in just after Christmas.

“This means our little boy's health can get better, but it could have been a lot different.

“Everyone deserves to live in a safe environment.

“This couldn’t have come at a better time.”

Richard Hargreaves, Bolton at Home’s Group Director of Property Maintenance, said: “We’ve contacted our customer and arranged for the mould to be treated immediately.
"We are also supporting the family to progress a move to another home as soon as possible.”

If you have a story and something you would like to highlight in the community, please email me at jasmine.jackson@newsquest.co.uk or DM me on Twitter @JournoJasmine.