Action Desk: Damp in council flat causing havoc for young couple

Amber Hellewell, aged 20, contacted Action Desk to say damp and mould in the flat she shares with her boyfriend Hayden Wilkins on Jaunty Crescent, Base Green is ‘getting them down’.

Mr Wilkins moved into flat in July of this year and girlfriend Amber said she noticed damp near the windows and electrical cables at the back of the TV.

She added the situation steadily got worse and told Action Desk the carpets and bed were damp and they had to sleep in sleeping bags in the living room.

“We’ve been living in shocking conditions, the carpets are damp and there’s mould on the bed,” Amber said.

“We didn’t notice it at first but you would wake up absolutely freezing and noticed a smell from around the bed.

“We had a look at the mattress and the bed frame and we were shocked at what we found.

“We’ve tried to get it sorted for weeks but nobody seems to care. We’ve been living in the living room for a couple of weeks now, we can’t sleep in the bed. You try and keep the flat ventilated but when it’s the middle of winter, you can’t keep the windows open.

“We don’t want to lose the flat, but it’s playing havoc with my asthma.”

Action Desk contacted Sheffield Council about the problems and it sent a team out the next day to inspect the complaints.

The couple are to receive a new bed and mattress after a thorough inspection.

A spokesman from Sheffield Council said: “We visited Mr Wilkins’ flat following reports of mould and checked that there weren’t any issues with the windows, leaks from above or damp in the plaster which was causing the problem.

“These checks all came back fine, so we talked about how mould and damp can be prevented in future, particularly by good ventilation.

“We are also providing Mr Wilkins with a new bed and mattress.”

n If you live in a Sheffield Council run property, you can report emergency repairs by calling 273 5555 or by visiting Sheffield Homes