Work and Money Correspondent, BBC London
BBC“We are behaving like farmers. Like we are not enough to live in civilized houses,” says Loren Branch, a tenant of NAGS Head Estate in East London.
It is part of a group of tenants who have resorted to the list of lawyers and health workers from Charity MadeAct to fight against pubody after complaining for years of moist and mold in their homes.
Tenants stated that the Bethal Green Estate has long -standing problems that they blame for health issues, including respiratory diseases, and claim that the previous repair has only been a “quick fix” that has not solved them.
One of England’s largest housing associations, Pibodi stated that it “invested over £ 1m on improvement in 2024” but “unfortunately, it would take time to resolve all issues”.
Loren has been living on Nags Head Estate with his four children for 14 years.
He said: “We have tried to collect all tenants, knocking on the door, handing over the leaflet, meetings to include people.
“We have hired lawyers, we have been run by a charity to help us to help us.”
‘They are quick reforms’
Loren showed me a wall of a flat which was painted in the last summer.
The wall was clearly moist and when he touched it, the paint came to his hand.
“They are making quick improvements,” he said.
“They are not insulating the walls properly. Nothing is solving,” he said.
“In the long term you feel that they will put money to fix problems instead of coming back, keep coming back. It is spending more money.”
The BBC filmed the hallway, kitchen and shower screen in another flat with black mold.
The carpet was wet and flat smiled moist.
The tenant, who did not want to name, said that he had reported problems to the pubody, but claimed that it does not work for eight weeks.
After washing the mold by the Housing Association, the problems “quickly returned”, he said.
Fatima Tejni stayed with her family for 16 years and said that her respiratory problems started after the onset.
“I started having COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), lung problems,” he said.
“I blame the house.
“When you have health problems, you have mental health problems. Pibody has made us sick.”
‘When I am outside, I am fine, but when I get inside (flat), I start coughing. This is not normal to me. ,
‘If we fall asleep, are we going to wake up?’
In 2024, his family was taken to a temporary residence for three months, while the pubody did the repair work.
But when the family returned, they found “more difficulties than before”, including condensation on windows and moist carpets.
Fatima believes that the repair was cosmetic and said that she did not address the root causes of mold and moist.
“I am really worried about the combination of water and electricity,” he said.
“What is going to happen? If we go to sleep, are we going to wake up?”
The Housing Association provided them with dehumidifiers, but their three children, who share a room, said that this gold becomes difficult.
His 10 -year -old son said: “I wake up and my face – it was not sweating – but there was water on my face.”
‘High rate of health problems’
The tenants eventually decided that they would start working with professionals in the Health Justice Campaign Charity Madepect to push for a solution.
In a survey it was done in 2024 out of 37 houses – about a quarter of social tenants on property – 35 said they were visible, and 30 families said they were moist in their properties.
Charity stated that 31 families reported new symptoms or injuries since their qualities, and 19 said that at least one member had developed a respiratory condition.
Medhayct said in his opinion, “They were” related to comprehensive mold and moist on property “.
Dr. of Madect Isobel Brathwaite explained: “We have really seen wide issues with moist, mold, leaks and chaos and we have also seen that people are actually affecting high rates of health problems, especially respiratory but mental health.
“We think those things are connected.”
Pibody’s Managing Director Trishi Packer for North-East London said it was “an important report” that reflects survey reactions from almost a quarter of homes on property. “
He said that the pubody wanted to hear from the prominent inhabitants of all the serpents to help shape the investment and agree where the improvements would be done “.
“Last year we had invested more than £ 1M on reforms here and I am committed to designing £ 3m plan with residents that I hope that there will be a positive difference.
“Unfortunately, it will take time to resolve all issues.”
He added extensive issues, such as congestion, “a major problem and is a major part of London’s housing emergency”, as well as “rapidly growing costs” means that its social fare houses can “cost more than the houses” rent “.
“This makes it an extraordinary challenging situation,” he said.
“But we are performing our best and are firm to improve.”
It comes as landlords for social housing in England Must fix moist and molded properties more rapidly than OctoberThe government has announced.
The rules will eventually cover private landlords.
Campaigors called for strict rules After two -year -old Avb Ishaq In 2020, he died due to mold at her Rochdel home.
