A three-month-old baby is in intensive care with bronchitis that her mother believes has partly been caused by living in a mould ridden, damp house.
Lisa Morris, of Whittlesey, says the mould and damp in her £625 a month, three bedroom detached house, has been getting worse over the past year. To cap it all she has been without heating for a week.
Councillor Chris Boden visited her last Wednesday and says the conditions are “disgusting”.
He said: “I am hoping that between Fenland District Council and Cambridgeshire County Council that we can force action to be taken as soon as possible.”
However the landlord, Harjeet Singh Gill, said: “I have been ringing Ms Morris for nearly a week. She would not open the door. She doesn’t want to talk to me and she’s refusing to pay rent.”
“She’s the one who created all the mould by putting clothes on radiators and not opening windows to improve air circulation.
“I took someone round to give me a quote. I’m trying to get in touch again but I never get any answers from her.”
Last week Lisa’s youngest daughter, Paris, was admitted to Peterborough City Hospital.
The baby’s grandmother, Emma Bielawski, said: “I’ve just been to see my granddaughter in hospital and it’s horrible.
“The landlord has still done nothing.
“A builder came to the house and apparently told the landlord that it would cost £10,000 to put it right. He said he didn’t want it doing properly. He just wanted it decorated to look good so that Lisa stops complaining – to ‘shut her up’.
“Apparently all that my daughter does is moan and complain!”
She said that Mr Gill has done nothing about the ventilation even though he had promised he would.
“Lisa has told him she’s not going to give him rent this month because he has to sort it out,” she said.
“I don’t know what else to do. Lisa cannot afford to move. He keeps saying he’ll sort it but its all just lies.”
Kevin Rowell, the builder who visited the house with Mr Gill, said: “I’m now getting abuse from the landlord because I’m refusing to do the work.
“I said I’m not touching the property because it’s not fair to do it to the tenants.
“I told the tenant not to pay him anymore money until it’s sorted. Mr Gill also told me when I went round that when the job is finished he is just going to kick the tennant and her children out because all she does is moan.”
Mr Rowell believes that Ms Morris could claim legal action against her landlord.
“He should have to pay every penny back for the last year in rent and deposit so she could find somewhere else to live,” he said.
Until his visit Mr Rowell said there were no carbon monoxide testers, but he gave her one free of charge.
He said: “At the end of the day I wouldn’t live like that - in mouldy and damp clothes, unable to dry anything; it’s awful.
“It’s about time something was done about this.”
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