A Saltcoats family has lived in a damp-ridden home for six years. The council claims access issues delay repairs.
The house has three bedrooms, but it is too small. She has four kids and says it was bad from the beginning. She complains about dampness from water leaking in.
She says they always have a different excuse. She asked to move five years ago, but nothing happened. The house is now in very bad condition. Mould grows on walls in every room. This caused health problems for her family.
The council offered temporary housing during repairs. She said this is not a good option. Her kids need extra support. They would struggle with the constant moving around. She also worried about their possessions and pets. The temporary place does not allow pets.
Moving to temporary housing seems pointless to her. They would move back to the same overcrowded house. She thinks the council ignores her children’s disabilities. She gave the council different ideas. However, they do not seem interested at all.
Now, the family suffers because of the damp house. She believes they should have fixed it years ago. She doesn’t know what else to do. Her kids’ education is suffering now. The council wants them to live in one room during repairs.
She feels they do not understand her situation. She says she has been lied to for six years. If they fixed it sooner, it wouldn’t be this bad.
North Ayrshire Council said they want to find a solution. They are “sympathetic” to the situation. The council claims they had issues getting inside the house. They want access to fix things quickly.
They are trying to help her provide that access. She will get a four-bedroom house when available. Housing demand makes timing uncertain. They will keep talking to her to find a solution. This will let them fix the current house.