'I find it difficult to breathe' - disabled man's concerns over mould growing at Dorchester home

A disabled man is concerned mouldy conditions at his Dorchester home could make him seriously ill after developing breathing issues and rashes.

Nicholas Webster has lived in social housing with his mother for nearly nine years and says the damp in the ground floor flat is so severe that mould is growing on his clothing, shoes, furniture, bed frames, and carpets.

Magna Housing, which owns the property, says it is aware of Nicholas’ concerns and will work with him and his mother to resolve the mould.

Nicholas, who called the situation a "nightmare", says he and his mother have struggled with the persistent mould.

He said: “Magna Housing say it's condensation and a ventilation issue but that's clearly not the case because I follow their guidelines to a tee and they have repainted the walls.

“I try to clean it as much as possible. It spreads across the carpet and comes in from the concrete underneath. So it is problematic.”

Magna Housing has told Nicholas, who suffers from Functional Neurologic Disorder and uses a walking stick, to ensure the property is ventilated and well-heated which he believes he is already doing.

The charity shop volunteer has a heater in the corner of his bedroom to combat and regularly cleans the mould in his room.

Magna Housing installed an air tech dry air pump and ventilation fans which have reduced the mould in the lounge and his mother’s bedroom.

He said: “When I'm in my bedroom, my coughing gets really bad and that's when I'm just sitting on the bed on my laptop. I start coughing quite a bit and find it difficult to breathe.

“I come into the lounge most of the time to ease the problem. It's also caused rashes on my face."

Nicholas said he cannot afford to move and is unable to work full-time due to his mental health and mobility issues.

Nicholas said: “In my opinion, this entire block should be completely demolished. It is not fit for purpose.

"My neighbours upstairs have also had issues. My next-door ground-level neighbours have had severe issues and I've had severe issues.

“It's just a nightmare. It makes me feel awful to be honest at the best of times."

A spokesperson for Magna Housing said the company is aware of the long-standing issues at the property and is keen to resolve the issues.

He said: “We are aware of historical issues raised by Mr Webster and concerning his mother’s property.

“We will be contacting them to discuss the recent concerns shared online, to understand how we can support them with the current issues they have raised.

"We urge any of our customers experiencing damp and mould issues in their home to contact us directly so we can respond with the quickest help and support.”