Mum claims son has been ‘disfigured’ by decade-old mould in council home

By Robert Firth, Local Democracy Reporter

A mum claims her son has been “disfigured” by a 10-year damp and mould problem in their council house.

Catherine Odigie claims her son, Raphael, nine, suffers from itchy skin and swollen eyes and lips because of the problem.

Ms Odigie, 42, said she first complained in 2013 to Lambeth council about the issue, which she believes is caused by a leaking water tank in her block.

But a decade on, the bedroom walls and ceiling of her flat on the Mursell estate in Stockwell are still covered in black mould from the leak. 

The problem is so bad that her son has to sleep downstairs to ease his symptoms, while teachers have warned her the problem is damaging his education. 

Mum-of-three Ms Odigie said: “All his skin has been disfigured because of the mould and damp problem. He is on full medication from the GP because they don’t know what else to do for him.

“It’s scratch, scratch, scratch. It’s like sores all over his body and it’s itchy. His eyes and lips are swollen and he has been sleeping downstairs for the last few years.

“His teacher said he was coming to school tired all the time. He can’t have a good sleep because of the problem and it’s affecting his education.”

Ms Odigie said her mould and damp nightmare started two years after moving into the flat, while pregnant with Raphael.

The problem got so bad in her upstairs bedrooms that Ms Odigie had to sleep downstairs in the living room with her eldest daughter, Audrey, for most of the pregnancy, she claims. 

Lambeth council eventually treated the problem but the mould and damp returned even worse in the following years because the leak remained unfixed, according to Ms Odigie. 

In August 2021, she said an independent surveyor inspected the property and drew-up a list of the issues that needed fixing.

But when workmen sent by the council arrived at the flat three months later to sort out the problem, she was astonished to find they had turned up with household mould spray to fix the issue. 

Ms Odigie said: “It was like something you could buy at the supermarket. I couldn’t believe it. I could have done that. The problem is with the building. The mould is going to come back if you just wipe it and don’t sort out the leak.” 

A doctor recommended Ms Odigie and her family be moved to to a less mouldy property in an attempt to relieve Raphael’s symptoms. She hoped this would push Lambeth to move her family into a new house. 

But when the council  got back to her, it allocated her Band D – the lowest priority for rehousing – and said she was only eligible for a one-bedroom flat despite having three kids, according to Ms Odigie.

When she appealed, Ms Odigie said the council moved her up the priority list by just one step to Band C2. 

A Lambeth Council spokesman said: “We have been working hard for some time to fix complex problems at this property, including completing repairs to a number of leaks reported to us.

“But we fully accept that the service provided on this occasion has fallen below our usual standards, and we have apologised to Ms Odigie for this experience.

“The final repairs required have now been arranged and will start in the coming days. Following constructive discussions, we have also agreed to pay the costs of accommodating Ms Odigie and her family in a hotel while the works on her home are being carried out, plus any removal expenses.

We will also pay Ms Odigie damages in recognition of any inconvenience and frustration she has experienced.”

Pictured top: Raphael suffers from skin problems that Catherine Odigi blames on mould in the property (Picture: Catherine Odigi)