‘These issues can kill people’: Residents suffering for years in flooding flats riddled with mould

Residents living in a block of flats say they have been living with severe mould, damp and leaks for up to 13 years and are suffering from severe health issues as a result.

Ashley Lewis, 36, moved into Iveagh House, in Loughborough Road, Brixton – run by affordable housing company Guinness Partnership – in 2010.

He said: “I have had mould in my flat since 2013. I was told to clean it myself until 2017 when Guiness sent people to remove it.

“In 2018 it came back and now it drips from my ceiling across my sofa, my blinds and my cooker so I can’t use it.”

Mr Lewis said he has tried to contact the Guinness Partnership for years to remove the mould but nothing has been done. Now he has to cover his ceiling with plastic bags to stop it spreading across the flat.

He said: “The mould is coming from the outside in – it is a structural issue and they need to knock the walls down to fix it.”

Mr Lewis claimed the landlord had “lied” to his solicitor and local MP saying they had spoken to him about repairs.

“They’re trying to cover it up,” he said.

There are no vents in Mr Lewis’ flat – which he says is the same for most of the block – so air stays stagnant in the room, making the mould worse.

He said: “The house is unliveable. I’ve been in and out of hospital with breathing issues – I’ve had x-ray’s on my lungs and blood tests.

“These issues can kill people – and there are no laws to protect us. It’s like manslaughter.”

The majority of residents in Iveagh House are ethnic minorities, Mr Lewis believes the Guinness Partnership are discriminating against them.

He said: “The only people in the block who manage to speak with Guinness properly, are white. The rest of us get nothing.”

Residents also said when Guinness Partnership moved them into temporary accommodation while repairs are completed, the temporary property had the same issues of mould and leaks  – and when they are moved back into Iveagh House, repairs have not been finished.

Many tenants said they are on anti-anxiety medication as a result of their living situation whilst others living with severe mould and damp have developed asthma. 

Nequela Whittaker, 35, is another tenant living with disrepair in the block. There is sewage coming through her sink and into her washing machine caused by leaks in the pipes.

She said: “Last December they were doing work on the building. They turned off our communal heating so we were stuck in the cold with no hot water all Christmas.”

In April, Ms Whittaker said scaffolding was erected outside her window and builders would stand outside looking into her room.

She said: “I’d have to keep the curtains shut and when I complained they were just told to look the other way.

“As a woman it’s despicable that you can’t feel safe in your own home. It’s a sham, we’re living in a building site and its crumbling around us.”

For two years, another resident, Mervyn Bollers, 53, and his neighbour have had severe leaks in their ceilings. 

He said: “They said they’d fix it – it’s a pack of lies.

“When we had no heating last December, the leak caused damp and made me sick.

“I just turned 53 and I’m sad, this has been going on for three birthdays.

Video showing Mr Bollers’ neighbours flat today, with water dripping through the ceiling (Picture: Ashley Lewis)

“I’m trying to study for university but they’re ruining it. This is sending me mad. I can’t concentrate.”

A spokesman for The Guinness Partnership said: “We are on site with a £12m programme of works to improve Iveagh House.

“We apologise profusely for the poor living conditions experienced by residents, and we apologise for any inconvenience whilst we carry out works.

“As part of this work we have decommissioned an aged and increasingly unreliable heating system, which was at risk of failing over the winter months. We offered all residents temporary heaters and are funding the energy costs associated with this. If any resident requires additional heaters, these are available.

“The homes will be connected to the local heat network at the appropriate point in the programme.

“The safety and comfort of our residents is our priority. We take seriously any concerns about the conduct of contractors and these should be reported to us to investigate.

“Any allegations of discrimination are completely unfounded.”

Pictured top: Nequela Whittaker outside Iveagh House (Picture: South London Press/Takenya K. Holness)