Family living in damp-ravaged house suffering ‘serious breathing issues’

SEVERAL members of a family paying rent in a damp-ravaged Housing Executive property in Trillick have developed serious respiratory problems since moving into the property nearly a decade ago.

Speaking to the Ulster Herald this week, the distressed family claim that, as of yet, the Housing Executive have failed to carry out the work necessary to remove the malign moisture from their walls once and for all.

Kora Weigel lives in the blighted house with her husband Martin and three children – six-year-old Amelia, 15-year-old Tobaisz and their 21-year-old son who prefers not to be named.

Since they moved into the house in 2013, only Martin and Tobaisz have lived free from serious respiratory incidents.

Amelia is almost constantly sick, missing more days from school than she makes. Kora (40) was stricken by bronchitis last August and was hospitalised with a chest infection last week. And in recent weeks, her eldest son was rushed to hospital “because he couldn’t breathe and had serious pains in his chest”.

Kora told the UH that, in spite of “plastering paint over the walls once a month”, beneath the fresh facade, fungi continues to grow in her daughter’s “black bedroom”.

On Monday, the Housing Executive called out to their home in Woodview Crescent, but Kora said they “didn’t offer to do the work that desperately needs to be done”.

“They have been out many times over the years,” said Kora. “Once, they told us to scrub the walls with water.”

She continued, “But two men came out on Monday – one in the morning and one in the afternoon.

“The first man tested the walls and determined they were ‘wet’. The second man came out and offered to spray the walls.”

‘Inadequate’

But Martin objected to the suggestion of ‘spraying the walls’ on the basis that it was an inadequate, temporary solution.

Kora explained, “Martin told him that he had personally sprayed the walls a few times before and the damp just came back.

“Plus, Martin told him, ‘spraying loosens the dangerous spores and makes them airborne, and I’ve already got two very sick girls with bad chests in this house’.”

The HE employee cleaned the gutters and went on his way, the family say.

It is a well-established medical fact that living in a damp environment significantly increases the chance of developing respiratory infections, allergies and asthma.

The NHS website says, “Moulds produce allergens (substances that can cause an allergic reaction), irritants and, sometimes, toxic substances. Inhaling or touching mould spores may cause an allergic reaction, such as sneezing, a runny nose, red eyes and skin rash. Moulds can also cause asthma attacks.”

This is not only having an impact on the Weigel family’s physical health, but it is causing significant and potentially lasting psychological harm for them, too.

Kora said, “I am a care worker in the community and I feel so bad because I love my job and it hurts that I am being prevented from helping the people I work with.

“And this is an important point in Amelia’s life when she should be in school learning and making friends, but her illness means most of the time she is stuck at home.

“I’ve done everything within my powers and I cannot get anything done. I don’t know what more I can do.”

Responding to the UH, a Housing Executive spokesperson said, “In recent years, we have carried out a series of unrelated repairs at this property, including fixing pipes, improving insulation and removing mould.

“When the latest repairs were reported, we cleared guttering at the property and the contractor has re-checked the tiles and lead on the dwelling porch to ensure there is no water penetration.

“We have tried to once again clean walls with a wash inside the building, however, the tenant would not allow this.”

The spokesperson added, “Liaison with the tenant will continue until matters are resolved.”