'ABSOLUTELY HEARTBREAKING'
My 3 kids are forced to squeeze onto SINGLE mattress in mould-riddled home where toys are too rotten to play with
Even dolls have been left covered in black mould
A HEARTBROKEN mum is sleeping with all three of her children in a single room as a dark mould descends on their home.
Single Swansea mum Zoe Godrich says black mould began to build when the house was fitted with cavity-wall insulation three years ago.
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According to Zoe, within weeks of the insulation the walls in her home had "little waterfalls"; constantly pouring down the plaster.
She says the insulation was done as part of a government green scheme.
Installers UK, who performed their work, insisted insulation was not causing the problem, and told the BBC it was instead caused by a hole in the roof.
The company went under following the insulation.
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Zoe is consequently having to squeeze into one room with her kids on mattresses on the floor, saying the other two bedrooms are simply unlivable.
Their beds were tossed to the trash due to being damaged by dampness and mould.
Even one of her daughter's baby dolls has been pictured totally blackened by the wet rot.
Zoe told BBC: "It's absolutely heartbreaking because I can't provide for my children's basic needs of a safe warm home
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"The life has just been sucked out of me. For the last few years all I've done is fight company after company after company."
Making matters worse, one of her daughters is on asthma bad enough that she requires multiple medications, while her son suffers eczema severe enough that his skin cracks and bleeds.
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The NHS warns mould isn't just an ugly rot, but can cause "serious illness".
The government website reads: "Damp and mould predominantly affect the airways and lungs.
"The respiratory effects of damp and mould can cause serious illness and, in the most severe cases, death."
Coughs, shortness of breath and increased risk of airway infections are all named as effects.
Zoe says she contacted City Energy Network next and was told to remove the insulation - so she did, with a £7,000 loan.
Without insulation, the home is cold and she cannot afford to pay for heating.
She says this has led to further dampness which she claims has created a cycle which leads to more mould.
City Energy told the BBC it is attempting to fix the disaster with Zoe directly, having ''recognised and sympathised with the position in which Ms Godrich finds herself''.
The Sun has contacted City Energy for further comment.
What to do if your home is mouldy
Mould is common in Britain, given how wet the country is.
Experts say patches on walls and ceilings should never be ignored due to their potential to cause health problems.
It's said that if you can smell it, there is most certainly a problem.
As seen in the case of Zoe, scrubbing the mould away may not rid the walls of it forever.
Instead, homeowners need to tackle the root of the problem by figuring out how the moisture levels are too high.
It could come from a lack of ventilation, not using fans while cooking or showering, or even a leak from an internal pipe.
If you're a tenant renting, you'll want to let your landlord known as soon as possible.
If the mould is bad, a quick Google search shows an abundance of rot removal companies available.
TrustMark, a government-endorsed organisation tasked with ensuring quality work in people's homes, told the BBC: "The problems at Ms Godrich's property are complex.
"The work was carried out under an earlier standard and did not take the 'whole house' approach that current standards do, preventing some of the issues seen here.
"However, the situation Ms Godrich is left in is completely unacceptable and needs to be put right.
"We will work with the British Assessment Bureau and City Energy to achieve a suitable solution that makes Ms Godrich's property a warm, comfortable and healthy home for her and her family."
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The Sun has contacted TrustMark for further comment.
A was set up for Zoe to help the family rid the house of the mould, having raised £543 as of Wednesday.
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