Family worried about health implications from mould and damp in Cork city council house

TWO Cork City Council tenants have spoken out about their persistent issues with mould and damp in their houses that remain unresolved despite numerous representations to the council.

Marie Delea who lives in a two-storey three-bedroom semi-detached house in Fairhill said the ‘problems’ first originated in 2018. “The problems originated when they insulated the attic in 2018. I immediately drew this issue to the attention of Cork City Council and got no response. You can imagine how much conditions have disimproved in the last five years,” she said.

“Black mould is coming down the walls, in the small bedroom,” said the tenant who lives in the house with her husband, son and daughter. “It is going across the ceiling. As my son is sleeping at night there could be droplets of condensation drop on to his head. There is a vent in the room, but it is constantly open. I also noticed recently it is spreading to my room which is adjoining his room.

“We brought down decorations from the attic before Christmas and all the insulation that is in the attic is wet. The wooden beams in the attic are also wet. The city council did acknowledge my complaint, but I never heard back subsequently. I have called to the office, rang them, and emailed them numerous times but no one has ever called,” she added.

Ms Delea worries about the health implications for her family. “I love where I live, but it is a health hazard. I am concerned about health issues for my son sleeping in a room like that. We just want the council to try and resolve the problem. The council should be looking after their tenants. If it was a private house my landlord would look after it straight away.”

Another local authority tenant in Hollyhill, who didn’t want to be identified, said her bathroom and front door have been severely damaged as a result of mould.

“My bathroom is full of mould and has been destroyed for a long time. The small bedroom is also full of mould. My front door is destroyed as well because the whole area around it is after cracking. When it rains, the rain comes in my front room window and my front door,” she said.

The tenant, living in the three-bedroom detached house for 20 years with her husband and two children said Cork City Council should be more “proactive”.

“I have alerted city council to my issues. They respond by saying they will put it through. Cork City Council should be more proactive. If I didn’t pay my rent, I would be thrown out. The house needs proper maintenance. My chutes are too big for my wall. The rads in my front room, my small room and my bathroom don’t work.

“I had to take the bed out of the small room and throw it out because my daughter couldn’t sleep in there. We all have the same issue in our houses as the rain and the wind is coming towards us. I don’t have a sliding door unfortunately which means my house is taking a battering. In my front room I have an electric fire. When you come out to the hall it is like Siberia,” she added.

I love my house. I do look after it,” she said. “I am haunted where I live. It is in a beautiful area with lovely neighbours, but my house is falling apart.”

Sinn Féin TD for Cork North Central Thomas Gould called on Cork City Council and the Department of Housing to work together.

“People being forced to keep their clothes in bags because of the damp in their wardrobes, walls crumbling and residents with respiratory issues are just some of the issues that have been raised. A plan is needed to tackle these issues. I am calling on Cork City Council and the Dept of Housing to work together to produce a plan to remedy these issues,” he said.

Deputy Gould said he also raised the issue with the National Oversight and Audit Commission (NOAC).

“I called on NOAC to take a more hands-on approach in local authorities where they see problems like this. We need to see the council funded to find the cause of these issues and address them. Painting over the problems or only addressing the consequences and not the root cause helps no one.”

A spokesperson for Cork City Council told The Echo they take all complaints brought to their attention ‘seriously’.

“Cork City Council cannot discuss individual cases publicly but take all complaints from our tenants ... seriously and seek to resolve maintenance and property-related issues as soon as possible. Cases can be complex, and it is the experience of the City Council that condensation is often the main cause of dampness and mould growth in dwellings.

“As a result of continuing condensation, walls, ceilings and sometimes floors become damp, discoloured and unpleasant due to mould growing on their surfaces.

“The City Council’s tenant handbook gives advice to tenants on how to manage the condensation, creation of moisture and ventilation in their homes.

“Where the issue is not condensation or moisture management and is actual ingress of water or structural defects allowing water into the fabric of the property, the City Council takes full responsibility and seeks to resolve these matters as soon as possible,” the spokesman added.