A Newtown couple are pleading with their housing association for compensation after the damp in their flat has left them sleeping on the living room floor with their newborn son.
Aaron Hassall and Chloe Lloyd-Perks have been struggling with issues caused by severe mould in their Newtown flat for months, leaving hundreds of pounds worth of their property wrecked.
The damp, which was caused by a flower bed being built over the damp course of the property, has permanently damaged large amounts of their property – including their bed, their clothes, carpets, car seats, baby grows and baby toys.
The couple are looking to move after Powys County Council changed their position on giving them priority housing, having previously refused because of a doctor’s note that was not properly written.
READ MORE: Pregnant couple in mouldy flat 'refused new housing due to wording of doctors note'
“If we get a new house, we’re going to have to replace it all and we can’t afford to do that, especially with a newborn,” said Mr Hassall.
“It would have been to have been compensated for everything that is lost, so that when we get a new property we’ve got a fresh bedroom, nothing extravagant just purely what we’ve lost.”
The damp situation was so bad, their nurse and GP told them that they nor their child could not sleep in the room as it would be a danger to their health.
This left them sleeping on the living room floor of the flat whilst Ms Lloyd-Perks was heavily pregnant and even now after the baby was born last month.
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Newydd, the housing association that runs the property, initially blamed the damp issues on the couple before accepting responsibility earlier this year. The association has now installed a dehumidifier and has started on works to get the property to a fit standard.
Jason Wroe, Chief Executive of Newydd Housing Association said, “We are working closely with Mr Hassell and Ms Lloyd-Perks on the concerns that they have, this includes making improvements to their home.
“Our financial inclusion team have also been working with them to gain grants and benefits to support the family in the long term.”
The couple, however, say only Powys County Council support workers have been helping with their financial issues.
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“I have even tried going to senior management to get help and they are doing nothing now we are looking to get another property," Mr Hassall said.
"They’re not really working closely with us, they’re just having someone phone every couple of days or so.
“The only people who are doing anything for us is the council.”
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