Resident's mouldy south London home is 'a constant nightmare'

"Norah Mensah had been asleep in her home in Southwark when she suddenly woke up to the sound of fire alarms going off. Realising the noise was actually coming from her own flat, Norah rushed to turn the alarms off, but she struggled to do so and ended up having to call the London Fire Brigade. Norah recalls how she heard a massive bang followed by the distinct smell of burning as water started to trickle down her walls."

"When the fire crew did turn up, Norah says the lead firefighter was left so alarmed with the black mould he could see on her walls, he told her it's not right you're breathing this in. Almost four months later, Norah says the interaction still plays on my mind as she has questioned the impact the mould is having on her and her daughter's long-term health."

"We have a specialist Damp and Mould Team which focuses completely on preventing, identifying and stopping damp and mould in council homes. The tenant has raised this with our team. We have undertaken some treatment to their property and we will be working with them as a priority to agree for the completion of repairs as soon as possible, prioritising health and safety issues such as damp."

Norah Mensah woke to fire alarms and discovered the noise came from her flat; she called the London Fire Brigade after struggling to turn the alarms off. She heard a massive bang, smelled burning and saw water trickling down her walls. A lead firefighter was alarmed by extensive black mould and warned it's not right you're breathing this in. Norah has packed possessions away, fears long-term health impacts for her and her daughter, and accuses Southwark Council of making only temporary repairs and failing to address a suspected structural cause. Southwark says a specialist Damp and Mould Team has treated the property and will prioritise completion of repairs.

Read at www.standard.co.uk