Baby living in mould-ridden West London flat 'born with a cold' due to mum's exposure
| Published date | 10 April 2024 |
| Publication title | MyLondon (England) |
Fardus Miah, 39, and Tania Jahan, 34, moved into the property in December 2019, having been living in temporary accommodation in Leyton. The pair, who have three children one of whom has an Education Health and Care Plan, said they began struggling with disrepair not long after settling into their new home.
"The wall and windows were loose, water dripping from the ceiling in the kitchen, due to the maintenance of the property itself. They would do no work. There would be a flood coming through, leaking everywhere," Mr Miah said.
The family, who communicate with either Westminster or NHG but not directly with the landlord who owns the property, said they have been repeatedly requesting repairs be done to their home. Other than some works completed around a year ago, however, which kept the damp at bay for just a few days, they say nothing else has been done.
"I've lived here since 2019," Mr Miah said. "I know it's not safe. The first few months were okay. But after we came to winter, autumn, that's it. Everything changed."
'Me and my family are suffering'
The couple welcomed their third child, Younis, in December 2022. Ms Jahan claims that when he was born, Younis had a cold due to the conditions in their home.
She added that a health inspector from their local GP visited and told the family they need to move out, with the accommodation not suitable for a young child. In a letter sent to Westminster City Council from a health visitor at the Parkview Centre for Health and Wellbeing, dated February 2022 and seen by the LDRS, the living conditions of the family and their children were described as 'inadequate'.
One of the health visitor's notes reads: "There is extensive damp, throughout the property, black mould is present on the walls and the ceilings of every room, including the hallway. In some rooms the damp is so bad that the walls are wet, this is not just a health hazard but also poses an issue for the safety of the parents and the children. The damp has impacted the electrical circuits in the property. The electrical sockets in the...
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