New mum 'scared' to take baby home because of mould in Cambridge bedsit

A mother says she and her four-week-old baby cannot stay in their home due to the severe mould, which is growing over the walls and ceilings of their family flat.

Katie McAulay, 26 is now sofa-hopping as she is “too scared” to take her baby home and is having to live apart from her partner Aiden Ohlemann, 28.

The couple said they told Cambridge City Council of the problems in their bedsit "over a year ago" but are still waiting for something to be done.

The couple have lived in the bedsit in Arbury in Cambridge for almost three years, and last year first noticed the mould appearing in the bathroom.

The council has apologised and said work to fix the problem would begin as soon as possible.

Ms McAulay said Cambridge City Council had previously suggested “opening the windows, spraying the mould and using mould-proof paint”, which they did.

However, the problem continued. Ms McAulay said: “It just got worse. It just started coming through the paint, the ceiling got worse and since then it’s just gone all the way through the property.

“The kitchen, the wardrobe has got it, the hallway; every room has got some type of mould, whether it’s a little bit or a lot."

In a statement, the council said it had worked with the couple to investigate the damp and mould and as a result it had agreed to take remedial action.

Ms McAulay said she was a high risk pregnancy and had spoken to Cambridge City Council to make officials aware but felt like she and her partner were “just ignored” and “nothing was done” about moving them out of the bedsit while there was damp and mould.

“I stayed there throughout my pregnancy, even though I rang the council multiple times, told them that I was high risk and told my midwife about it," she said.

“I actually worked in a doctor's surgery as well while I was pregnant and the doctors there were telling me that I shouldn't be living in these conditions while I'm pregnant, especially being high risk.

“I was going to my mum's on the weekends, but I couldn't live at my mum's permanently because it’s too far."

On 6 September, Ms McAulay gave birth to her son Owen and said she and her son were now “sofa hopping” as she did not want to return with her baby to the mouldy and damp bedsit.

She said: “I'm between all of my family at the moment. I have been staying with my mum, sister and grandmother a few days at a time so I can give everyone space because obviously, I can't stay there permanently, so it's just a fighting battle at the moment. They're very supportive, but obviously it's difficult."

The mould and damp has got so bad in the bedsit that the couple said they had to throw out baby toys because they got spoiled.

Cambridge City Council has apologised for the issues and said work to fix the problem would begin as soon as possible.

A spokesperson said: “We are sorry for the issues affecting our tenants at this property, and apologise for the delays in attending to them. We are working to rectify this situation so the family concerned can fully enjoy their home."

The council said it would wash off the mould and fit new fans in the property before giving the tenants decorating tokens to repaint. Mould levels will be monitored after the work is done.

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