Heart bypass patient who ‘couldn’t breathe’ in mouldy flat sues landlord for £7K

A man who claimed he struggled to breathe in his home which was overrun with toxic mould has successfully sued his landlord for £7,000.

Peter Oakley, 67, who has lived at his Lewisham Homes property in Montem Road for almost 25-years, became concerned when the fungus started creeping into his bedroom and quickly spread across nearly every room in his flat.

The problems started as minor black patches on the ceilings, but over time they escalated into large areas of severe mould.

Peter, who was fitted with a pacemaker following previous triple heart bypass surgery, said his physical health was greatly affected due to the housing disrepair.

“It took only a couple of weeks for the ceiling to turn black, and there was a pervasive, unpleasant smell of dampness and mould around the house,” he said.

“It affected my health significantly. I couldn’t breathe and sleep properly, and there was one time when I couldn’t even drive my car out of the garage because I couldn’t take a breath. I had to seek immediate help.”

Mr Oakley’s bathroom had severe water stains and mould on the ceiling, which was reported when the issue first arose, then twice again over five years but was still left unresolved.

One bedroom had mould on the exterior wall, inside cupboards and along a rotten window ledge. The 67-year-old said the issues in the living room were reported numerously but were never adequately addressed despite council representatives visiting the house.

The Lewisham resident constantly had to wash the smell of damp off his clothes which impacted his energy bills while also having to purchase new clothes more often than he could afford.

He contacted Veritas Solicitors to take up his case in August of last year against Lewisham Homes, which settled out of court in February this year, awarding £7,000 in damages to Mr Oakley. The required work to his flat was completed in June this year.

“Everything is repaired now and I’m glad it’s all clean, but my health issues are still there,” added Mr Oakley.

“I still struggle with my breathing. Sometimes I wake up at night because I can’t take a proper breath.

“I want to thank Veritas Solicitors who were very supportive and helpful. I don’t know what I would have done without them.

“I’m just glad I’ve been able to get back to living in a normal house.”

Faraz Fazal, managing partner at Veritas Solicitors, said: “This case highlights the importance of taking action when faced with housing issues that impact a person’s well-being.

“We are pleased to have been able to secure a favourable outcome for our client and it is our belief that everyone deserves a safe and healthy living environment as a basic human right, and we will continue to fight such cases.”

Lewisham council has been contacted for comment.

Pictured top: Left, Peter Oakley, 67, and mould in his bathroom (Picture: Inked PR)