East Sussex woman and mum, 83, at 'wits' end' over mould in bungalow

By Richard Gladstone
Published 29th Nov 2022, 09:14 BST
Updated 29th Nov 2022, 09:14 BST
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A woman and her mother say their health has suffered due to their bungalow being infested with mould.

Tina Woolsgrove said she fears her 83-year-old mum, Gladys, may not make it through the winter due to the ongoing problem.

The pair live in the Optivo property in Catsfield and said they are at their ‘wits’ end’ living in a home with ‘so many dangerous problems’.

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Tina said: “We have been living here since May 2021 and shortly after moving in all our possessions, clothing, furniture and family photos turned mouldy and had to be thrown away. We lost everything. Optivo was informed and I have been fighting for them to do something since then.

Tina Woolsgrove and her 83-year-old mother GladysTina Woolsgrove and her 83-year-old mother Gladys
Tina Woolsgrove and her 83-year-old mother Gladys

"This has cost us so much money, our time, our family memories and most importantly our health. Living here has made both my mum and I ill from living in this damp environment, not to mention the stress, which is relentless.

"My mum has heart problems and diabetes and I have significant medical conditions. Our GP has said we should not be living here as it’s so unhealthy. Both my mum and I now wheeze and have respiratory problems we never had before.

"We are just about to go into winter and I seriously don't think my mum will make it through from all the damp, virtually nonexistent heating and dangerous mould.”

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A spokesperson for Optivo said: “Our residents’ needs are extremely important to us, and we always want to ensure the homes we provide are suitable for the families who live in them.

Tina and her mother say their bungalow has been badly affected by mouldTina and her mother say their bungalow has been badly affected by mould
Tina and her mother say their bungalow has been badly affected by mould

“We’ve been working closely with Ms Woolsgrove to resolve the issues of mould and damp in her home. We arranged for expert contractors to independently assess the home and have actioned their recommendations on how to tackle the mould and damp.

“The property has now been fitted with new moisture tracker extractor fans to eliminate excess moisture in the air and help prevent damp.

“We’ll replace the affected partition wall and defective tiles in the shower in line with the expert contactors’ recommendations. We’ve offered to temporarily relocate the family while these bathroom works take place to minimise disruption.

“We’ll continue to monitor the situation. We understand this is a distressing situation for Ms Woolsgrove and our staff are committed to doing all they can to help.”