A MOTHER of three has spoken out about the damp conditions in her apartment which she says have persisted for several years.
Joanne Liddy from Caffrey Avenue off the Glen Road spoke to the Andersonstown News about persistent damp in her property which she claims has affected her own health and that of her children, two of whom are currently living with extended family because of the conditions. The apartment is owned by housing association, Clanmil.
HALLWAY: Joanne said she frequently finds dog waste, alcohol and drug paraphernalia in the hallway
“I have had damp in here since I moved in 11 years ago. One of my sons has asthma and can’t live here anymore because of how bad the damp is," said Joanne. "It was affecting his breathing and my two-year-old daughter Tianna Rose who lives with me is currently on antibiotics for a bad cough which the doctor said was caused by damp. I have had pneumonia recently and I have a history of pulmonary embolism [blood clots in lungs] due to the damp and mould.
“We have also found a lot of black beetles and silverfish which have come from the damp. I had to replace my sofa because the damp had completely ruined it. I have filters by every window and have to change them constantly. Every time I clean away the mould it comes right back again.”
The apartment was also badly affected by a leak in the above apartment which leaked down through the ceiling. The leak was repaired days later but not after causing damage to Joanne's kitchen appliances such as her fridge which had to be replaced. The leak has left a brown stain on the ceiling which is also contributing to the damp inside the apartment.
IMPACT: A leak from a neighbour's apartment was repaired but the effects can still be seen
Joanne said the condition of the apartment and the health impacts have meant that her two sons now live with extended family as the two bed apartment does not have enough room and the mould has aggravated her son’s asthma. To measure the extent of damp in the apartment Joanne was given a device which measures the moisture in the air. The safe level is below 70 per cent but in every room of the apartment it measures over the safe limit and as much as 99 per cent.
DAMP: Joanne's humidity device which registers above the safe level in every room of the apartment
To keep the damp down Joanne said she was told not to dry her clothes inside the apartment on radiators or to use the tumble-dryer but she has said there is no other way to dry her clothes.
With the family now living apart Joanne said it has been negatively affecting everyone’s mental health. Joanna said she has been proactively searching for another place for herself and her children and had arranged a house swap last year which subsequently fell through and devastated the family.
MOULD: Black mould in the apartment
Other problems have persisted in the apartment block as well and Joanne said she has also raised the issue of unclean stairwells. Joanne said she had been forced to tape up a ventilation duct in the property due to the smell of cannabis.
A spokesperson for Clanmil Housing Association said: “Keeping our customers’ homes safe, secure and comfortable is our priority and we take incidents of damp and mould very seriously.
"Our Maintenance Officer visited our tenant on 21st March this year. He noted a small area of mould and that our tenant had taped up the ventilation system in the apartment that removes natural moisture from the air. He explained the importance of keeping the system working and encouraged our tenant to allow it to work correctly. He agreed to visit again to see the impact of the ventilation system running correctly.
"Our Maintenance Officer has attempted to contact our tenant a number of times since then but has been unable to reach her. He will arrange a joint visit with a specialist consultant, and we will monitor the air moisture in the apartment.
"We are making arrangements to redecorate the ceiling that was damaged as a result of a leak from the flat above.
"A potential transfer was discussed previously but this was not confirmed and the tenant was made aware of this. Our Neighbourhood Officer will contact her to explain the current status of her transfer request.”
