The Kubadi family in Leicester say persistent damp and mould in their PA Housing flat are causing asthma and respiratory problems in both parents and their one-month-old baby. They report repeated paint-overs have not fixed the issue and that rats enter when they try to ventilate the ground-floor flat. PA Housing says surveyors have visited multiple times and that temporary rehousing was offered; the family deny refusing access and have taken their complaint to the Housing Ombudsman. Medical letters describing the situation as urgent were submitted in May.
‘It’s Ruining Our Health’: Leicester Family Blames Persistent Mould And Rats For Baby’s Breathing Problems
Sirus Kubadi says the damp has been an ongoing problem [BBC]
Leicester family says recurring damp and mould in their housing association flat are causing respiratory illness, and repeated repairs have failed to provide a permanent fix.
Sirus Kubadi, 42, and his wife Sawen Hussein, 28, say their one-month-old baby is now showing respiratory symptoms they link to persistent damp and mould in their ground-floor flat on Dover Street. The couple say attempts to ventilate the property are made difficult because rats sometimes enter through the ground-floor windows.
What the family says
Hussein says PA Housing has repainted the flat several times, but the damp and mould return within months. 'They've come and painted here five times, but after a couple of months the damp returns,' she said. 'They're just covering the mould, not treating the cause. The mould has ruined our food, carpets, bed and curtains.'
The couple say Hussein required hospital treatment for her asthma and that doctors provided letters calling for urgent intervention; the most recent medical letter was submitted to PA Housing in May. Worried about their newborn, they report the baby is sneezing and showing signs of breathing problems.
The couple say their dehumidifier gets full every day [BBC]
Actions and responses
PA Housing, which manages the block, says it has worked with the family and provided guidance on rehousing. The provider says four surveyors visited over the past 13 months to identify and treat the cause of any damp and mould, and that it offered a temporary move to allow full repairs. PA Housing's executive director of asset management, Charles Ellis, says the residents are refusing further access to carry out treatments and have declined the temporary accommodation offer.
‘We have contacted PA Housing by email, by phone, by everything - they don't care,’ said Mr Kubadi.
The family deny refusing access and say they are unwilling to repeat treatments that have not resolved the underlying problem. They also say PA Housing told them they would need an occupational therapy report documenting the health impacts before being considered for permanent rehousing, but gave no guidance on how to obtain such a report.
Interim measures and ongoing steps
While pursuing a solution, the couple say they have placed dehumidifying bags in wardrobes, water collectors in kitchen cupboards and a dehumidifier in the bedroom that fills daily. They have the support of their local MP, Shockat Adam, and have raised the complaint with the Housing Ombudsman, which is still considering the case. PA Housing says it has requested a pest control inspection and hopes to continue working with the family to resolve the concerns.
Context: Mould and damp are associated with respiratory problems, especially for people with asthma and for young infants. Long-term solutions typically require identifying and treating the source of moisture and addressing structural or ventilation issues rather than cosmetic repainting.
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