My kids struggle to breathe in our cramped two-bed covered in mould

2023-04-08

My four kids are crammed into one mould-infested bedroom and struggle to breathe – I am scared for their health

Mother Kayleigh Templeton, from Kingston, shared fears about her children
Must read: The lid of my daughter’s AirUp bottle is full of mould

A mother-of-four has shared her devastating living situation which has left her children ‘crammed’ into one bedroom – and claims worsening mould is making them sick.

Kayleigh Templeton, 29, of Kingston, lives with her children, Trey, 10, Kayden, nine, Makayla, six and Evelynn, three, in a two-bed flat which is covered in mould.

Explaining that her children share one bedroom, she said: ‘My kids are breathing in the mould daily and it’s causing difficulties with their breathing.’

‘I’m concerned about their lungs and the long term effects this is going to have on them.’

She added that ‘she was trying to keep it together in front of her children’ but that the situation was becoming unbearable.

Kayleigh Templeton, 29, of Kingston, has shared her devastating living situation which has left her children ‘crammed’ into one bedroom – and claims worsening mould is making them sick

She said: ‘I’ve already had to take two of them to the doctors for a persistent cough.

‘I’m also worried about their emotional well-being because of the stress of being on top of each other in this tiny space.’

Kayleigh claims that as her children are getting older and are in desperate need for their own privacy, fighting and arguing happens daily out of frustration.

Currently, all four of her children are sharing one bedroom and the upset has caused her son, Kayden, who has autism, to lash out and punch holes in the wall.

She said: ‘It’s made me feel very frustrated, isolated and alone.

‘I’m scared he will seriously hurt himself or others around him – it would be a tragic situation if this was to happen.

‘He’s started to wet the bed again and I think this has a lot to do with the stress of our living setup.

‘I can’t work anymore due to his needs and I know that if he had space to run around in, this would help him and I’d be able to get back to work.’

Kayleigh claims that as her children are getting older and are in desperate need for their own privacy, fighting and arguing happens daily out of frustration

Mould: The house is covered in unhealthy mould, despite it being treated by the housing provider

In bad shape: The condition of the house is also very poor, as seen in this mucky peeling wallpaper

Kayleigh claims she initially contacted the housing association, PA Housing, in October 2020 for new accommodation and hoped to be placed on the priority list (pictured, part of the house)

Kayleigh claims she initially contacted the housing association, PA Housing, in October 2020 for new accommodation and hoped to be placed on the priority list.

But she’s allegedly been repeatedly told her only option is to continue bidding on other available properties for the foreseeable – suitable or not.

Now, she’s sharing her ordeal in a bid to raise awareness and says the situation is affecting her parenting.

Kayleigh added: ‘I can’t take the frustration away from my children and I feel like such a failure.

‘I can’t fix the situation we’re in and it makes me feel sad knowing the only option we have causes my son to hurt himself to release the stress.

‘It’s been so difficult for me to be a good mum and my family needs a healthy space, where they don’t have to breathe in mould.’

She said they were also growing up and needed privacy.

She said: ‘They need privacy and the room to relax after school without being on top of each other.

‘My children shouldn’t all be crammed into a bedroom with two sets of bunk beds, especially my older sons with their sisters.

‘It’s left us feeling isolated and like no one cares about us.’

She added that was ‘she was trying to keep it together in front of her children’ but that the situation was becoming unbearable

The mould is found across the two-bed property, which is leading to health concerns for the children

The mother-of-four has shared her devastating living situation which has left her kids crammed into one bedroom

Kayleigh has four children, but the council can only provide a two-bed flat which is covered in mould

One of Kayleigh’s children is autistic and sometimes punches hold in the walls, which are already covered in mould

Now, she’s sharing her ordeal in a bid to raise awareness and says the situation is affecting her parenting

How to rid your home of mould

Regularly open windows to air your rooms.
Buy a powerful dehumidifier.
Also buy a hygrometer, which measures humidity levels and costs only around £5.
After showering, wipe down the glass cubicle doors and tiles, because this will drastically impair the growth of mould.
Always keep your furniture a few inches away from external walls.
Dry the washing outside or in a tumble dryer. Never drape damp laundry over the radiators.
Never store damp clothes in your wardrobes.
Wipe windowsills with white vinegar from time to time.
Maintain a temperature of 18-22c within the property.
When cooking or having a shower, make sure that you turn on the extractor fan.

Ian Watts, Executive Director of Customer Services at PA Housing, said: ‘We’re sorry that Kayleigh and her family are living in a home that is now too small for them and that they have had issues with damp and mould.

‘Our first priority is to treat any mould as quickly as possible. Our contractor completed this treatment earlier in March.

‘We apologise that it wasn’t done more quickly.

‘Our surveyor has also carried out an inspection and further work to improve ventilation has been completed to help eliminate the mould.

‘A new extractor fan was fitted to Kayleigh’s bathroom and the kitchen fan was also overhauled.’

He added that his firm is contacting Kayleigh to see what else they can do.

He added: ‘In addition, we are also working with the family to support a move to a larger more suitable home.

‘They are on PA Housing’s transfer register, but very few larger family homes become available in Kingston upon Thames.

‘We understand how frustrating this must be and so our home moves team have also provided information on alternative options including mutual exchange.’

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