Mother, 31, fears for her three-year-old daughter after finding a wall behind her bed ‘caked with mould’
A mother was left “terrified” her three-year-old son could die after saying a council has done nothing to remove mold covering her daughter’s mattress and the rest of her home.
Terri Harrigan, 31, from Hackney, London, said her daughter Ariella has been “sick for most of her life” and is “terrified” she would die suddenly from mold covering her mattress.
He claimed doctors have told Hackney City Council that mold is causing Ariella’s respiratory problems, but all the authority has done is ‘paint’ the walls.
Miss Harrigan first encountered the mold after removing wallpaper shortly after moving into her house from Council in December 2019.
Since then, she explained, it has spread to her daughter’s mattress, the walls of her living room, kitchen, bedrooms, bathroom, windows and ceilings, as well as her clothing.
Terri Harrigan (pictured left), 31, from Hackney, London, said her daughter Ariella has been “sick for most of her life” and is “terrified” she would die suddenly from mold covering your mattress.
Since then, he explained, it has spread to his daughter’s mattress, the walls of his living room, kitchen, bedrooms, bathroom, windows and ceilings, as well as clothing.
She added: ‘Ariella’s mattress is covered in mould. I am terrified that she is going to die.
Now he gets sick at least every two or three weeks. She really struggles with her breathing and the doctors have even written a letter to her council to say that the mold is causing her health problems.
‘All I want is for her to be healthy and happy. My main concern as a new mom should not be that my three-year-old son dies suddenly.”
Miss Harrigan stated that she has tried washing the mold two to three times a week and it keeps growing back.
But despite their efforts, Ms Harrigan said all the council has done is ‘paint’ the mold three times since September 2020.
The death of two-year-old Awaab Ishak in Manchester last year after he was exposed to black mold has left her scared the same thing will happen to Ariella.
She said: ‘I am constantly anxious about my children. Don’t get me wrong, everyone is very happy, but I also need them to be healthy.
‘We don’t have money to move house. We don’t even have enough to get a new bed.
Miss Harrigan claimed that despite her best efforts to remove the mold two or three times a week, it keeps growing back.
But despite their efforts, Ms Harrigan said all the council has done is ‘paint’ the mold three times since September 2020.
His daughter’s health deteriorated in September 2022 when an ambulance was called due to breathing difficulties.
She said: ‘Her breathing became very rapid. She just wasn’t slowing down. I called 111 and they immediately sent us an ambulance.
“She was only two years old at the time and I was worried that we were about to lose her.
The doctors sent a letter to the mayor of Hackney, but he only said that he would let us know when other social housing became available. Seven months later and we are still waiting.
A letter from her GP asked if mold problems could be addressed to “ensure safe living conditions”.
A Hackney Council spokesperson said: “We wholeheartedly apologize for the delay in repairs Ms Harrigan experienced following our survey in November 2022.”
“The Council carried out remedial work related to recurring damp in 2019, 2020 and again in January 2022.”
His daughter’s health deteriorated in September 2022 when an ambulance was called for respiratory difficulties.
The spokesperson added: “The most recent number was analyzed in November 2022, but this work was delayed due to issues with the supply chain and a communication breakdown on our end.”
We have now contacted Ms. Harrigan to start working on resolving all issues as soon as possible.
“As part of this, we will seek more stringent measures to prevent a repeat in the future.
‘Hackney Council is one of the largest social landlords in the country, and we want to reassure everyone who lives in one of our houses that tackling damp and mold is a priority for us.
‘We launched a home repair action plan backed by an extra £1m investment last year.
‘This includes inspecting all reports of moisture and mold within five business days; re-evaluate all pending mold and moisture complaints and ensure they are prioritized based on the severity of the case and the age and health of the people living in the home.’