A mother and her seven children are living in a house covered in damp and mold despite being on a waiting list for a new house for the past four years.

Michelle, from Irvinestown, and her children have been living in the three-bedroom house despite the Northern Ireland Housing Executive acknowledging that it is too small for the family.

Having been recently diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, Michelle is pleading with the Housing Executive to find them a new home.

“Every room upstairs is smothered in damp. Regardless of what I do, it keeps coming back,” explained Michelle.

“I have had the Housing Officer [out] and she said she will send Maintenance [personnel] but they have been sending Maintenance for the past four years.

“I looked to be rehoused and I am still on the waiting list. I am on the waiting list for four years.”

Describing the state of the upstairs rooms in her home, Michelle said: “It’s disgusting.

“You could wash it 1,000 times a day and it still comes back.

“Even though it is clean it looks dirty because of the damp.”

Two years ago, Michelle made a room bigger and they had to get the room replastered. Her bedroom also has the brick showing through and was replastered – but it has not stopped the damp and mold.

‘Stains’

“You should see it. Again, the whole wallpaper is coming off the wall again; there are brown stains coming out, and black patches of mold and damp everywhere.”

As well the damp and mold, due to the large family living in the house, with children aged from five to 20 years old, space is at a premium.

Michelle’s 18-year-old son, Malcolm, has Down’s syndrome and she says he needs his own space, but she was refused permission for an extension.

And with her health problems, she says she struggles to get up and down the stairs or in and out of the bath.

“We have no room whatsoever. We have two bathrooms, one upstairs and one downstairs; [in] the downstairs one you couldn’t swing a cat.

“Because I have no space for stuff, I have had to use it as a cupboard.”

Michelle claimed the Housing Executive acknowledged the home was overcrowded, but still has done nothing to help her.

She said the Housing Officer visited three weeks ago and said somebody would be out to take a look at the house – however, she is still waiting.

“Their excuse is they can’t find anywhere for me. It’s not true,” claimed Michelle.

In response to questions about the property and what Michelle had claimed, a Housing Executive spokesperson said: “Our Patch Manager called with the tenant on May 9 on an unrelated issue, and the tenant reported black mold on the bedroom ceilings and corners, which she thought might be caused by the lead flashing on the roof.

“An inspection of the property will be carried out soon, and any necessary remedial work completed.

“The last inspection was on January 17, 2019, when the tenant reported dampness. On that occasion, contractors cleaned out gutters and repointed or sealed lead flashing over the front bedroom.

“The tenant is on the transfer list. All allocations are carried out in line with the terms of the Housing Selection Scheme and our Allocations policy.

“Unfortunately, to date, we have been unable to allocate her a bigger property as none have been availableNo four bedroom houses have been allocated since April 2020.”