Hackney Council tenants say mouldy flats are making them ill

Aug 10, 2023

Tenants suffering “constant” illness are abandoning their homes because of black mould on walls, window frames and even doors.

Residents of Beck House, Stoke Newington, showed the Hackney Gazette around the homes they say are causing and aggravating lung conditions.

They spoke out after the Gazette reported on some of their neighbours, two of whom have been diagnosed with “chronic” lung conditions.

Hackney Council has apologised and promised to carry out “extensive works”.

“We are extremely sorry about the issues faced by residents in Beck House and the impact this is having on their lives,” said Labour mayor Philip Glanville.

However, the improvements are not expected to be completed until 2026.

The walls, ceilings, windows and doors in Dane's home were covered in mould (Image: Charles Thomson)

Dane

“I’m worried about staying here,” said Dane, who did not want his full name printed.

He is an asthma patient and his flat is covered in black and white mould, from floor to ceiling.

Even his doors are mouldy.

He has been sofa surfing at friends' homes rather than stay in his own home.

“It makes my asthma worse,” he said.

White mould was growing on the wall in Dane's hallway (Image: Charles Thomson)

Dane moved in in 2017 and said it had always been mouldy.

When the Gazette arrived, a council contractor was surveying his flat following his complaints.

“To be honest, he shouldn’t even be living here,” the contractor said. “As soon as you walk in, you can smell it.”

Michael, 40, has lived in Beck House since 2006 and said mould had been a constant problem. He said he was constantly ill with breathing conditions, especially in the winter (Image: Charles Thomson)

Michael

“It’s really bad, man,” said Michael, who lives upstairs.

The 40-year-old, who did not want his full name printed, has lived there since 2006.

“I’m always ill,” he said. “In the winter especially, with my breathing.”

There is mould on his hallway ceiling and around his living room and kitchen windows.

The living room wallpaper is peeling off due to the damp.

Michael's window frames were mouldy and his wallpaper was peeling off (Image: Charles Thomson)

“The bathroom is a lot better at the moment because they’ve just done a lot of work – but it will be back to its same old mouldy self soon,” said Michael.

“It’s been a problem since I moved in. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve reported it to the council.

“I had mould in my trainers the other day. It’s actually coming onto my clothes. I’ve had to throw clothes away.”

He also suffers leaks through his ceiling, sometimes trickling into his fusebox.

“It’s a nightmare,” he said.

The kitchen window frames in Michael's property were covered in mould (Image: Charles Thomson)

Lynvil and Ali

The Gazette met two more residents who believe their properties are causing or aggravating health problems.

Lynvil Brooks, 58, has a long-term condition affecting his immune system.

He regularly visits his GP for breathing problems.

No matter what the weather, he said, “the windows sweat” in his ground floor bedsit.

His windows were covered in condensation and the frames were mouldy.

Lynvil Brooks's windows were covered in condensation when the Hackney Gazette visited, and the frames were mouldy (Image: Charles Thomson)

The bedroom wall is often covered in condensation too, he claimed.

He says he paints over the mould, but it just comes back, adding: “All the time, when the cold comes – mould.”

On the floor above, is Ali Erisir, in his 50s, who moved into Beck House in 1999.

Ali Erisir, a COPD patient, said mould had been a problem in his flat for more than 20 years and he had to see his GP roughly twice a month (Image: Charles Thomson)

His bedroom curtains were covered in mould, as were the window frames.

“It has always been a problem – 25 years,” he said.

“I have COPD,” he added, showing the Gazette three different inhalers he has been prescribed.

“I’m going sometimes to the hospital. Every month, maybe two times I go to my GP.”

Ali Erisir's curtains were covered in mould (Image: Charles Thomson)

Hackney Council

These interviews followed the Gazette’s reports on other residents with similar stories.

Chris Henriques and his partner Sarah Shepherd have each been diagnosed with “chronic” lung conditions. Homerton Hospital has told Hackney Council they should be rehoused “urgently”.

Their neighbour Johnny, an asthma patient, said he felt his mouldy Beck House bedsit was making him more ill.

After being presented with our latest case studies, Hackney Council promised “extensive” works both inside and outside Beck House.

They will include “installing new windows, repairing brickwork and any other work identified following a full survey”.

Hackney Council's Labour mayor Philip Glanville said 'extensive' works would be carried out inside and outside Beck House following the Gazette's revelations - but would not be completed until 2026. (Picture: Julia Gregory, LDRS) (Image: Julia Gregory LDRS)

“We expect to carry out this work once our new contractors are in place and [they] will be completed by April 2026,” said Mayor Glanville.

“We believe these steps will help alleviate the longer-term issues residents are facing.”

In the meantime, the council said it will act on mould reports “as quickly as possible”.

“We reiterate our apologies and want to hear from residents about the problems they face, so we are also proactively writing to and visiting all residents in Beck House to see what further action can be taken following these most recent reports,” said Mr Glanville.