North Belfast family fear damp in home causing chest problems for teenage son

A north Belfast family say they fear that serious damp in their home, caused by defective guttering, is causing chest problems for their teenage son.

Jim Anderson, who bought his home from the Housing Executive last year, said water is literally running down the walls of his teenage son's bedroom.

Their house in Silverstream has finlock guttering, which is old, concrete and known to deteriorate over time.

"Walls are completely saturated, the water just keeps coming in. I'm worried about the weakness of the house and the health impact.

"This is my young lad's bedroom and it's a constant battle. He's got the cough and you can hear it in his chest."

The family says they can't resolve the problem themselves because it's a terraced row with a single row of guttering, and a mix of owners and tenants live there.

It comes after a Belfast woman last week told UTV she is confined to the bedroom of her house because authorities haven't intervened to fix the severe damp in her home.

Margaret McTaggart's Ballysillan home has mushrooms sprouting from sodden walls.

She bought her home from the Housing Executive in 2003 and said she feels let down.

However the Housing Executive insist they have carried out significant work in the north of the city to remedy the problem and that more is planned.

However they say "unfortunately most homeowners don't qualify for financial support."

While the Department for Communities say they're talking to the Housing Executive to find a solution.

Hundreds of people whose homes still have this guttering are waiting on a solution.

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