Skip to content

Couple fight 'losing battle' at mouldy flat

John Devine/BBC Alex Chapman, 74, is wearing a brown woollen bobble hat and has glasses and a dark overcoat on, with the hood down. The living room wall behind him is a magnolia colour.John Devine/BBC
Alex Chapman, 74, said he believed black mould had contributed to respiratory issues for him and his wife

An elderly couple said they had been fighting a "losing battle" to keep their rented flat clear from black mould.

Alex Chapman, 74, and Rose Chapman, 68, from March, Cambridgeshire, said there were spores in their bedroom, kitchen and living room, and the problem had been going on for nearly five years.

They believed their respiratory problems had been caused in part by the mould throughout their one-bedroom ground-floor home.

Letting agent William H Brown insisted it had no record of mould in the property, but was in communication with the Chapmans to rectify the issue.

Mr Chapman said the couple had tried cleaning but the mould always reappeared.

"We're fighting a losing battle," he said. "As fast as we clear it, it comes back.

"As the winter weather gets worse we get more mould. It has been a problem here for a good few years."

John Devine/BBC Black mould on the inside of a UPVC window frame, with a lacy net curtain hanging over the window.John Devine/BBC
The couple said they regularly sprayed the mould inside their living room window, but it comes back within weeks

Mr Chapman claimed the couple had told inspectors about the mould during their six-monthly checks, but "nothing gets done".

He said he was concerned the air bricks built into the property were ineffective due to bushes and shrubs' growth outside the flat.

He added he would welcome the fitting of trickle vents - devices usually fitted at the top of windows that allow fresh air to circulate through rooms.

"Both my wife and myself spent time in hospital suffering from respiratory difficulties, and although we can't say for sure the mould caused it, it certainly won't be helping," said Mr Chapman.

John Devine/BBC Alex Chapman, 74, wearing a brown woollen bobble hat and glasses. He has a dark overcoat on with a dark fleece underneath. The bedroom wall behind is a magnolia colour. Black mould spots can be seen above a bedside cabinet and next to a grey coloured headboard.John Devine/BBC
Mr Chapman said mould was behind the headboard of the bed and appeared above the bedside cabinets
John Devine/BBC The outside of a ground floor flat, with hedges and shrubs growing at the front of it. There is a brown communal front door and the Chapmans live in a one-bedroom ground-floor flat on the right.John Devine/BBC
Mr Chapman believed that hedging, shrubs and bushes could be making air bricks fitted at low level ineffective at his flat

William H Brown said it conducted regular property inspections through professional assessors.

A spokesperson said: "As the landlord's managing agent, we take the health and safety of our tenants very seriously.

"As soon as we were notified of this issue, we arranged for a local team member to visit the property to assess its condition, and we will work with the tenant and landlord to arrange any repairs required."

Follow Cambridgeshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.

Related stories
Related internet links