A temporary housing tenant has spoken out about the “significant” damp and mould and “non-professional” treatment she has experienced since becoming homeless.
Tennae-Nicole Rose was moved with her three-year-old daughter into temporary accommodation (TA) in Palmers Green in December after declaring herself homeless with Barnet Council. Both of them have asthma.
Tennae said the problems began when she moved in and that initially she had “no heating or electricity”. While this was addressed, a mould problem later developed.
The spots affected were primarily in the bathroom, the front room, and the daughter’s room. Mould was also present in the floorboards.
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Tennae said: “As a pregnant woman with asthma, the presence of significant mould in our home is deeply troubling and detrimental to our health.
“I was shocked to learn that a non-professional handyman was sent to address the issue. Rather than properly remediating the mould, he merely painted over it.”
In terms of heating, the council said there had been a problem with “credit on the meter” but acknowledged it also “replaced a faulty radiator” in February to “ensure comfort”.
Mould was treated with “anti-mould paint” and “minor repairs around the trickle vents” were set to be carried out.
The council said a surveyor had assessed work on 13th August and “confirmed that the mould had been addressed”.
However, as of Wednesday (14th) Tennae has said there was “still mould in the flat” and highlighted the floorboards as an issue.
She said: “I feel trapped in this one-bedroom mould-infested flat. Despite my repeated pleas for assistance, I have been ignored and disregarded.
“The ongoing exposure to mould has resulted in daily discomfort and severe breathing difficulties, causing significant concern for my wellbeing and that of my child.”
In response, a spokesperson for the council’s housing management company, Barnet Homes, said: “We understand how distressing it can be to experience issues like damp and mould, and we have invested £2million into a dedicated healthy homes team to address these concerns and work closely with our TA providers.
“Ms Rose was placed in temporary accommodation in December 2023. She reported heating issues on three separate occasions, and each time, the problem was found to be related to the credit on the meter, which was verified by both Barnet Homes staff and the TA provider’s electrician. We also promptly replaced a faulty radiator in February to ensure her comfort.
“We sincerely regret that Ms Rose experienced further concerns with damp and mould in August. Upon receiving her complaint on 8th August, the TA provider visited the following day and treated the affected areas with anti-mould paint.
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“A Barnet Homes surveyor followed up on 13th August and confirmed that the mould had been addressed. The surveyor also provided guidance on using the kitchen extractor fan, which Ms Rose chose not to use. Additionally, minor repairs around the trickle vents were identified and will be completed shortly.
“We also took Ms Rose’s medical information very seriously, and an independent medical service thoroughly assessed it.
“While the assessment did not make specific recommendations for future housing, we remain committed to supporting Ms Rose and will stay in close contact with her to ensure that the issues she faced do not reoccur.
“Our goal is to ensure that all residents feel safe, healthy, and supported in their homes, and we will continue to work to achieve that.”
Local Democracy Reporter Grace Howarth covers the London boroughs of Barnet, Enfield and Haringey as part of the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS), reporting on local government, housing, planning and community issues.
