A Dundee mum is terrified her little boy’s health is suffering as water is pouring into her flat through a hole in the roof.
Erin o’Rourke said she reported the hole in her top floor Menzieshill flat to landlord Dundee City Council two months ago but the problem is only getting worse as winter sets in.
Every time it rains water leaks through the 35-year-old’s ceiling and fills up a bucket she has to leave in her hallway.
Her six-year-old son, Kai, already has breathing difficulties and Erin fears his health is getting worse.
She said: “Kai has already been rushed to hospital in a blue-light ambulance because of his breathing issues.
“The conditions we are living in are definitely making him worse.
“His coughing and breathing are really bad and I’m so worried about him.
“This is also having a real affect on my mental health. I’m permanently anxious and worried about him.
“I really need someone to help us.”
Buckets of water pouring into Menzieshill flat
The recent torrential rain has left her with buckets full of rainwater and wet walls in her flat.
Erin said: “Council workers came to the house a while ago and told me there is a hole in the roof where water is pouring in.
“That has now caused a hole to form in my hall ceiling and I have to keep a bucket under it to catch the water.
“It fills up so quickly when it rains. The house is cold and damp and the walls in Kai’s room are wet.”
Erin follows all the council’s guidelines to try to keep her home warm and dry but says its useless until the problem is fixed.
She said: “They tell you to keep the windows open and put the heating on.
“I’m doing that but the heat is just going out the window.
“I have spent £25 on gas to try to heat the flat in two days alone this week.
“It’s far too expensive and it’s not even working. The flat is cold, smells bad and is permanently damp.”
Erin’s fears come after a leading opposition Labour councillor Kevin Keenan called for action over damp and mouldy council houses in the city.
He said something must be done before someone dies as a result of the poor conditions, after a coroner ruled two-year-old Awaab Ishak’s death was a direct result of exposure to mould in the housing association flat in Rochdale he lived in.
It was revealed earlier this year more than 3,000 complaints about damp and mould have been made to the council in the last five years.
A spokesperson for the local authority said: “We are actively engaged in the matter and undertaking the necessary steps to resolve the issues.”
Conversation