A mother-of-two, Emma Needham, shared photos of her six-month-old son, Theo, fighting for his life in the hospital due to repeated exposure to mould in their flat. Theo had been on a breathing tube after being exposed to mould all his life. Emma also has a two-year-old son, Lincoln, who had been in and out of hospital with bronchitis, which was attributed to mould. When she was pregnant with Theo, Emma reported a mould problem in her flat to Bolton at Home, but the issue was not resolved in time for Theo’s birth. The mould was found in various areas of the flat, including the kitchen, living room, the children’s bedrooms, and two bathrooms.
Emma had been trying to avoid staying at home due to the mould problem and had discovered that Lincoln’s toys were covered in green fluffy mould. Despite complaining to Bolton at Home, they advised her to use white vinegar to remove the mould. The situation worsened with black mould appearing in the bathrooms, but Bolton at Home did not address the issue promptly, and it continued to affect Emma and her children’s health. After specialized treatment from an external company was finally arranged, Emma and her children were placed in a hotel, only to be forced to return home prematurely.
Following another hotel stay, Theo’s health deteriorated significantly, and he had to be admitted to the hospital with breathing difficulties. Emma reached out to Bolton at Home with pictures of her sick baby, but they offered no apology for the situation. Eventually, vents were installed in the house, but the workmen left the flat in a messy state, with dust everywhere. Emma expressed her desire to move out of the property as soon as possible for the safety of her children and emphasized the need for better living conditions.
Despite the remedial works carried out by Bolton at Home, Emma’s flat remained unsafe for her children, with dust and cracks in the walls left behind by the workmen. She felt trapped and worried about her children’s futures in such an environment. Emma called for action from Bolton at Home to prevent other families from going through similar ordeals and stressed the importance of having a safe space for her children. Her story was raised at a council meeting, where a councillor expressed horror at how Emma and her children were treated.
In response to the situation, a spokesperson for Bolton at Home stated that they take damp and mould issues seriously and had taken steps to address the problem in Emma’s flat. They arranged for the removal of mould, conducted a specialist survey, and implemented measures to reduce humidity levels and improve airflow. The family was temporarily moved to a hotel during the remedial works, and all mould was removed before their return. Bolton at Home promised to continue supporting Emma and her family with regular follow-up checks to prevent the reoccurrence of mould.
